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EXTRACTED FROM THE BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION FOB 



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■TliAWL FISHERY OF (JIIKA'I da 



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NOTES ON BEAM-TRAWLING IN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. 



BY 






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Ji* Wi COLL INS 



W A S II I N G T N : 

1 . R \ Jl 1 \ T PEINTI N G F F ICE. 

18 8 9. 












BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 28!) 



60.-TIIE lli:\>|.IIUHI, FISHER1 Ol I.IEItl ICICI I tl\. WITH NOTES 
ON BEA TI.TR \ HI.IMi IN OTHER EUROPEAN l(MMi!ll> ETC. 

Kj J. W. COLLINS. 

A\.\[ |.,. , 

A. Introductory note u;)ii 

I. — The Beam-Tkawl Fikheiey ok OitK.vt Buitain. 

B. History and present importance 291 

C. Fisliing grounds •>'M> 

1). The fishermen ::iin 

E. Vessels 305 

F. Fishing apparatus :ilt) 

1. The beam-trawl 31(1 

(«) Tln> beam :;l I 

(/;) The trawl heads 312 

(<0 The trawl net 316 

(<i) The trawl warp and bridles 321 

(e) Dimensions and method of construction 321 

2. Apparatus for operating the trawls 324 

(«) Capstan 

(6) Dandy winch or wink :'.'_'i; 

(c) The forward winch 327 

(d) The "dummy " or towing bollard 327 

(e) Trawl- warp rollers 327 

(/) Dandy-bridle chock 328 

(y) Fisli tackle 329 

3. Apparatus for packing tish, etc 321) 

(a) Fish boxes 329 

[b) Ice mill !30 

(e) Heals ::::i 

(il) Doddle net 

U. Methods of fishing ::.;•: 

1. General description of the use of the bcam-trawl 332 

2. Shooting a trawl from I hi' port side :;:;:) 

3. Shooting a trawl from the starboard side 337 

4. To change the tack with the trawl out 338 

(«) To wear the trawl around 33H 

(b) To stay the trawl around 339 

(c) To drop a vessel around with her trawl nut 

(<1) To catch a vessel around with a weather tide. 340 

.">. To prevent a vessel from catching around 340 

li. The workiug i >f a trawl 340 

7. Heaving up the trawl 342 

8. Single boating and fleeting :it- 

'.t. Care of fish, "boarding" tish, etc :;.~>4 

11. Marketing the catch ; fish carriage, etc 359 

1. Landing the tish at Billingsgate 

2. Selling fish by auction -tin 

3. Fish sale at Brixham 362 

4. Shields as a tish market 363 

5. Fish carriage 365 



Bull. U. S. F. O.j 87 19 



290 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Page. 

I. Mel lied of dividing the profits 361 

,J. Effect of beam-trawling on tbe abundance of tisb 369 

K. A cruise on a British North Sea trawler 373 

II.— Notes on the Beam-Trawl Fishery of Continental Europe. 

A. France 38d 

1. Fishing grounds :; " 

2. Vessels 3S9 

:;. Apparatus ;!s '-' 

4. Methods of fishing 390 

B. Belgium 390 

1. Fishing grounds 390 

2. Vessels 390 

:'.. Apparatus •'•'•'1 

4. Methods of ashing 393 

c. Holland 393 

1. Fishing grounds 393 

•>. Vessels 393 

:'.. Apparatus ." 

1. Methods of fishing 393 

1). German} ;; ''" 

1. Fishing grounds 398 

2. Vessels 398 

:;. Apparatus 399 

1. Methods of fishing 399 

E. Spain 399 

I. The '• bou net " or parella 399 

III.— Attempts to use the Beam-Trawl in the Fisheries of niE United Stai es. 

[V.— Possibilities of successfully using the Beam Trawl in the Sea Fish- 
eries of the United States. 

A. Introductory Note. 

This report lias been prepared forthe purposeof placing before those 
directly interested in the fisheries of the United States such informa- 
tion as senns necessary to convey a moderately comprehensive idea of 
the British beam-trawl fishery. The history, development, and impor- 
tance of this special branch of the fisheries in European waters have 
been dwelt upon at some length. Attention lias been called to the 
possible influence of the beam trawl on the abundance of tisli, and the 
question of the introduction of this form of apparatus into the fisheries 
of the United States has been discussed. 

But in view of the possible employment of the beam-trawl forthe 
capture offish in American waters, special attention has been given to 
the various details of its construction. It has also been deemed desir- 
able, for the same reason, to describe at length the various forms of 
apparatus which are used iu conjunction with the trawl, as well as the 
methods of fishing, the system of marketing the catch, and other mat- 
ters relating to the prosecution of the work iu Europe, siuce a knowl- 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 291 

edge of these details will be required by American fishermen should 
they ever undertake t<> prosecute the beam-trawl fishery. 

Less has been said concerning those subjects which seem to suggest 
little that maybe of practical value, and for this reason much has been 
omitted which might perhaps appropriately be included in a report of 
this kind. For instance, the notes on the trawl fisheries <>l' France, 
Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Spain might have been expanded to a 
greater extent, but it is believed that these contain all the data- which 
may be of any importance to fisuiug communities in the United States. 

It is proper that acknowledgments should be made to the following 
gentlemen, who have lent their aid in various ways, but more particu 
larly iu furnishing such information as is required for a work of this 
character. Foremost among those who have assisted by their kindly 
efforts are Mr. Harrison Mudd and Mr. O. T. Olsen, of Grimsby, 
Mr. Edward Jex, of Loudon, and Mr. T. F. Robertson ('air, of North 
Shields, while others have furnished much interesting and valuable 
data concerning the British beam-trawl fishery. 

Mons. A. Duchochois, of Boulogne, has supplied data relative to the 
French beam-trawl fishery. Mons. .Tales Le Lorrain, of Belgium, has fur- 
nished many important facts concerning the fisheries prosecuted from 
that country. I am also indebted to Mr. A. I':. Maas, of Scheveuiugen, 
for information relative to the Dutch trawl fishery. 

The material upon which this report is based was chiefly gathered at 
Grimsby and Hull, and during a trip to the North Sea- in 1880; also 
from a study of apparatus and methods at the International Fisheries 
Exposition at London in 1883. So far as I am informed, however, there 
has been little if any change since the last-mentioned date, beyond per- 
haps the introduction of additional steam-vessels in the beam-trawl 
fishery from the continental ports. 

I.— THE BEAM-TRAWL FISHERY OF CHEAT BRITAIN. 
B. HISTORY AND PRESENT IMPORTANCE. 

Nothing definite cau now be learned as to where or when the method 
of fishing with a beam-trawl in Great Britain originated. Undoubtedly 
trawl-nets of some kind have been in use for many centuries off the 
English coast, but, there remain no records which would suggesf that 
they were supplied with abeam to distend their mouths, and as the 
most primitive and oldest forms of trawl-nets now in use are unpro- 
vided with beams, it is probable that those first employed in England 
were of this type. 

The earliest notice which we can find of the trawl fishery in England 
is contained in the following petition, which was presented to Parlia- 
ment in 1376-'77 : ' 

'It will be noticed that there is nothing in this petition which indicates the use of 
abeam as a part of the apparatus; therefore one is left in doubt as to whether a. beain- 
trawl or some other form is meant. 



2!>2 BULLETIN OF THE DNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

(Pet. 51, Edw. Ill, A. D. 1376-'77.— Petition No. 50.) '-That whereas 
in several places within your said realm, in creeks and havens of the 
sea. where was accustomed before these times to be a good and plen- 
teous fishery to the greal profit of the realm, which is in pari destroyed 
ami rendered valueless for a long time to come, by some fishermen who 
have for times during seven years past by a subtletj contrived a new 
instrument, which is amongst themselves called a 'wondy choun,'made 
after the fashion of a 'dag' for oysters, which is usually long, to which 
instrument is attached a nel [ree] oi so small a mesh, no manner of fish, 
however small, entering within it can pass out, and is compelled to re- 
main therein and lie taken. Ami besides this, the hard and long iron 
of the said 'wondy choun,' that it destroys the spawn and brood of the 
fish beneath the said water, and also destroys the spat of oysters, mus- 
cles, and other fish by which large fish are accustomed to live and be 
supported. By means of which instruments called -wondy chouns' in 
many places aforesaid, the fishermen aforesaid take so greal abundance 
of small fish aforesaid, thai they know not what to do with them, to 
the great damage of the commons of the kingdom, and the destruction 
of the fisheries in like places, for which they pray remity. 

'• Responsio. — Let commission be made by qualified persons, to impure 
and certify on the truth of this allegation, and thereon let right be done 
in the court of chancery." 

The fishing towns of Brixham and Barking, in their local traditions, 
both lay claim to the distinction of having been the first to introduce 
and establish the method of fishing with beam-trawls, but, as these 
claims are based solely on tradition, it still remains a mooted question 
as to which is tbi most entitled to the honor. One writer hasattempted 
to prove the probability of this method of fishing having been intro- 
duced by the Dutch on the occasion of the landing, at Brixham, of the 
Prince of ' (range in 1688. 

lie says, however, that "for the next hundred years there was no 
crafl employed at Krixham at fishing, bin open boats and half-deck 
yawls, the latter being the latest improvement. We have [he continues] 
heard our graudsires relate how thej used to put the whole apparatus, 
or gear, as it is now called, on their back and carry it on board of the 
boat. * * * Shortly after this time the fishermen began to enlarge 
their crafts, to cover in the deck, fore and aft. and rig them as cut- 
ters — namely, boom, gaff, and bowsprit, and with topmast having a long 
poll' on which was seta royal with the sheets leading down on deck, the 
same as the Dutch Scheviling bombs of the presenl day, and most prob- 
ablj the rig was taken from them.'" 

The trawl-net, in various (onus, has unquestionably been used in 
the continental fisheries of Europe for many years, but the application 

of the beam is apparently of •<• recent date. 

1 The Fisherman's Magazine, March, 1881. 



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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 293 

The following remarks by Eoldsworth on the origin of the trawl-net, 
though iiii-y do nol throw any additional light on the matter, show, 
nevertheless, how difficult il is to find anything concerning the early 
history of this apparatus which may be considered reliable: 

"The origin of I I nel appears to be unknown, but an emi- 

nently primitive method of working il is still in use on the Atlantic and 
Mediterranean coasts of Spain. ' " [ts chief feature is thai in 

order to keep the mouth of the net opi i to work efficiently, 

Is are employed. They are termed 'P dying pairs or 

couples, and they sail together at a cerl nice apart, towing the 

net bet ween them. An improvement on this plan, although very far from 
being satisfacti he hammer or pole-trawl, still used on some parts 

of the south and southwest coasts of Ireland. Onl <••! is re- 

quired to work it, and the mouth of the nel led by ropes lead 

iug from wings of netting on both sides of il to poles projecting one on 
each side of the vessel. It is but a clumsy contrivance, and only suited 
to smooth and shallow water. * * * The ottei trawl is the same 
kind of net as the one just noticed, but otter-boards are fastened to the 
ends of tin- wings, and by their peculiar and kite-like action cause t he 
extension of the mouth of the net without an ity for poles. The 

otter-trawl is much used on board yachts, but does not meet; with much 
favor from professional fishermen. Their preference eul 

to the I tea in -t raw I, which has been in use for man - ami. not « ith 

standing some disadvantages, ha- on the whole proved to be a pro- 
ductive and useful implement of ttshing. There is nothing to show 
when the addition of the beam was first made to the trawl, nor is it 
certainly known whence the idea originated. There is some reason to 
think, however, that to Brixham is due the credit of having first adopted 
it in this country for deep-sea fishing, and possi ily of having introduced 
it, although we believe Barking also puts in a claim to it. The com- 
mencement of the system probably dates from some period in the last 
century. Old fishermen at Brixham remember their grandfathers being 
trav. leis : but the nu m her of vessels and their size were then -mall com- 
pared with those of the preseul day, and we can obtain no further in 
formation on the subject than that beam-trawling had been carried on 
fora long time, or, as was said by one old fisherman, whose chrono- 
il ideas were perhaps nol very clear, -may be from the time of 
Moses' — a possibility not quite i tieral idea at Brix- 

ham that beam trawling ated in il ainous fishing pot 

Although we may be left in doubt as to the time and place that 
■ I the introduction of the method of beam-l t Brit- 

ain, it is, nevertheless, a w< at this fj d not 

attain very important proportions until within the present cen 
Of late years, however, more especially since 1850, it has developed 

1 1 union, 

1-71, |.|i. 52,53. 



294 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 

with remarkable rapidity, until now it is considered one of the most 
important fisheries of the British Isles, while in England it takes pre- 
cedence of all others. 

"The most important method ot fishing',' - writes Holdsworth, "by 
which a regular supply of the best and most varied kinds of sea fish is 
obtained for the market is that commonly known as 'trawling'— a name 
evidently derived from trailing or dragging; the trawl being- a bag-net 
which is towed, trailed, or trawled along the bottom : and it is so con- 
structed as to capture those tisli especially which naturally keep upon 
or near the ground." 

The most noted p<nts in England from which trawling is prosecuted 
are on the east coast and mosl of them north of the Thames. They are, 
jn the order of their importance as trawling stations. Yarmouth, Grims 
by, Hull. Lowestoft. London, and Scarborough; while Brixham, Barns- 
gate, Plymouth, and Dover, in the south of England, are noted for their 
trawling fleets. Carnarvon and Tenby, in Wales, have small fleets of 
trawlers. 

Aberdeen, Granton. and Leith, in Scotland, have each a number of 
trawling steamers. 1 though Mr. T. F. Robertson Carr, writing from 
Edinburgh under date of August 25, L883, says: 

"The General Steam Fishing Company, limited, is the only beam- 
trawling companj of any importance in Scotland, and their headquar- 
ters are at Granton in the Firth of Forth, close to Leith." 

When Holdsworth wrote in 1874, there was " no beam trawling station 
of any importance on the coasl of Scotland." The statement is made in 
the First Annual Report of the fishery Board for Scotland, L882, that— 

"Beam trawling has been carried on for several years in the Moraj 
Firth by sailing smacks and boats, principally belonging to Lossie- 
mouth; and it has also been prosecuted for a considerable period by 
sailing smacks and boats in the Firth of Clyde. Beam-trawling by 
steamers, which has been more recently adopted, has greatly increased 
within the last two or three years." 

According to the Scotsman of December 8, 1883: 

"At the present moment the tleet of screw trawlers belonging to 
Granton numbers fifteen, and the capital thus employed in the industry 
here alone may be roughly estimated at between £40,000 and £50,000." 

Dublin. Gal way. Waterford. and Dingle are the principal stations in 
Ireland from which large vessels are employed in trawling. 

Besides all the fleets of large sailing smacks and steamers which en- 
Mr. David Allot), senior member of the building firm of I>. Allen & Co., of Gran- 
ton, states that, in 1--::. Aberdeen had five screw boats and five paddle steam trawl- 
ers : Granton had a fleet of nine screw steamers, while a dozen side wheelers Nailed 
from Leith. David Walker, trawl owner and skipper, of Johnshaveu, before the 
Royal Co mmissiou appointed to inquire as to trawling operations on Hie east coast of 
ml, 1883, says: "There are now seven Nailing trawlers and one steam trawler 
belonging to Johnshaven, working generally from Red Head down to Bervie. For- 
merly thej went to Aberdeen Bay." 



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BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 295 

gage in tliis industry, more or less trawling i.s curried on near the shore 
on various parts of the coast of the, British Isles, by small boats, but 
until recently the Scotch have employed this method comparatively 
little, and even now other means of catching tish arc generally preferred 
by the boat fishermen of that country. 

The remarkable development of the beam-trawl fishery of the east 
coast of England during the past forty years, the consequent increase 
in the trawling fleets, and the growth and prosperity of the principal 
fishing ports arc. perhaps, without a parallel in the history of the Brit- 
ish fisheries. 

Take Grimsby, for example, which, about 1858, according to Mr. Har- 
rison Mudd, a prominent citizen of that port, had a population of. ap- 
proximately, from 10,00(1 to 13,000, and had just begun its career as a, 
fishing town by sending out a few beam-trawlers; now it has increased 
to upwards of 30,000 inhabitants, and from its docks sail a licet of 
nearly 800 fishing vessels, more than half of which are beam-trawlers. 
Mr. Edward Jex and other gentlemen say that they can recollect 
when Hull and Lowestoft (some thirty-five or forty years ago) did not 
have more than 25 or 30 sail of trawlers to each port. In 1881 Hull had 
a fleet of 737 aud Lowestoft 407 vessels of all classes, the majority of 
which were trawlers. 

"The rapid development of late years,"' writes Mr. Ansell, "may be 
traced to the introduction of ice and the spread of our railway system, 
by which the catcher has been enabled to get the fruits of his toil dis- 
tributed to the many thousands dwelling in the inland towns — those 
who seldom or never saw or tasted salt-water fish." 1 

It may also be added that the introduction of the method of icing tish 
has given the trawlers an opportunity, which they have not been slow 
to improve, to visit distant and untried grounds where fish could be 
taken in much greater abundance than nearer home. 

According to Mr. Ansell the advance of the trawling trade was so 
rapid on the east coast that Hull, which, in 1845, had only L'l vessels, 
aggregating 570 tons, aud valued at CO. 125, had, in 1882-83, increased 
its fleet to 417 smacks, besides <) steam carriers and ice ships, with a 
tonnage of 29,233 tons, and a valuation of £555,000. 

Still more remarkable has been the growth of the beam-trawl fishery 
from Grimsby. It was first introduced, according to Boldsworth, in 
1858, at which time 5 smacks went there from Hull. The rapid strides 
which this fishery has made at that port may lie judged from the fact 
that the amount of tish lauded there had increased from 4,344 tons in 
1858 to over 73,000 tons in 1881, while we are credibly informed that 
about 100,000 tons were landed in L882-'83. Though all of these fish 
were not caught in beam-trawls a large, percentage were so taken, and 
it is perhaps not too much to assume that the increase in the lisheries 

'Papers of the conferences held in connection with the Great International Fisheries 
Exhibition (London, 1883), i in Trawling, bj Alfred W. Ansell. 



29G BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 

al Griuisby is due more to the advance made in beam-trawling than to 
anything else. Besides the fish landed at Grimsby, large quantities 
caught by trawlers hailing from that port go by water in steam carriers 
tn London. 

As to the present status and importance of the British beam-trawl 
fishery, Mr. Ansell makes the following interesting statements: 

"The number of British deep sea trawlers may be taken at 3,000 (not 
including steam cutters), Yarmouth leading with 700, Hull and Grimsby 
next, making together about ball the number, the rest being scattered 
around our coasts. Such smacks as sail from Yarmouth, Hull, and 
Grimsby I class as the deep sea trawler. Taking the average catch of 
each of these at 100 tons, brings the total weight to 300,000 tons, irre- 
spective of tin' inshore trawlers' catches (as in the case of Hull and 
Grimsby, and also .Messrs. Hewitt's), and others less of coarse ami more 
prime, we may take an estimate at £10 to £12 per 'on as the price it 
fetches; this will give us a total icy value of fisb caught by the deep- 
sea trawler of £3,000,000 at £10, or £3,600,000 at £12." 

The Duke of Edinburgh, in a paper read at the conferences at the 
Loudon International Fisheries Exhibition, entitled •• Sea Fisheries 
and Fishing Populations," makesa more moderate aud probably a more 
accurate estimate. He places the total production by this method in 
the British Isles at 215,157 tons, worth £2,581,000, equal to about 
$12,905,000. 

■■ If." continues An sell, " we take capital employed in producing this 
at a total of £15,000,000 invested in floating aud shore property, it is 
not overestimating it. We have ice ships, ice houses, steam-carriers, 
curing-houses, storing-houses, and many other things too numerous to 
mention. The number of hands to man these vessels, at live or six 

hands per ship (tl gh some carry more), makes from 15,000 to 18,000j 

the latter is more like the number. If to this we add 2,000 who are 
out of berth by changing ships, we have then 20,000 hardy and ex- 
perienced hands employed in deep sea trawling, and who have no 
other calling or occupation. Some of these have families, and calcu- 
lating twoonh in each ship to be married, with each a wife and four 
children, we have 30,000 more who are altogether dependent on the trawl 
lor support. But as the trade can not be carried on without assistance 
of shore labor, it gives employment to more than as many more, such 
as packers, curers, laborers, watchmen, coopers, net-makers, riggers, 
etc., and a vast number of other trades too numerous to mention." 

('. Fishing Grounds. 

The North Sea or German Ocean, from the Straits of Dover to 
Kinnaird's Head, on the Scottish coast, and the Skager Back, on the 
continental side, is the most favorable field for the prosecution of the 
beam-trawl fishery. Within the area mentioned the water is generally 
shallow, varying from 5 to a little upwards of 50 fathoms, and may be 



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bULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 297 

considered one vast fishing hank, though there are various areas of 
greater or less extent in this part of the North Sea that are specially 
noted trawling grounds, and to which specific names have been given. 

A bottom of mud or sand, in a moderate depth of water, is the most 
favorable ground for the use of a beam trawl, providing, of course, fish 
can be taken thereon ; but it often happens that fish are much more 
abundant on rocky grounds, known .by the name of " roughs" among 
the North Sea Mshennen. Therefore, though there is always a great 
risk of losing the trawl when working on rough bottom, the hope of ob- 
taining a large catch is often sufficient inducement for the fishermen to 
make the venture. 

The most noted of the North Sea. fishing grounds is the Dogger 
Bank (divided into several sections, which are distinguished by local 
names): the Off Ground, the Great Silver Pits, Botuey Ground, Crown 
Bank, the Coast, Leniaii Ground, and the Great Fisher Bank. Besides 
these, mention maybe made of the Born Reef, Jutland Beef, Flam- 
borough Head Ground, Scarborough Ground, Hartlepool Ground, Sun- 
derland Ground, Fladen Ground, the Cemetery, Flat or Well Bank, 
Sole Bit or Northeast Hole. Smith's Know], Cromer Kuovvl or Hows 
ing Ground, the South Ground, North Foreland Ground, Kentish 
Knock Ground, Margate (i round, the New Bank or Saudietlie, the Falls 
Ground, Ridge and Vain Banks, and Rye Bay. 

"The fishing grounds most frequented by vessels from the number 
[Hull and Grimsby]" writes Mr. Ausell, "are the shoal of the Dogger, 
the southwest and northwest .spit of the Dogger, Clay Deeps, the 
northeast part of the Dogger (called the ' Cemetery,' from the rough, 
stony nature of the bottom compared to gravestones), the Fisher 
Bank and beyond the Fisher Bank, Jutland Reef's, the Long Forties, 
the Horn Beets, the Svlt, the Auirain Bauk, Heligoland, off the en- 
trance of the YVeser and Flbe, Nordeney, Borkuin, Terchelling, Texel, 
etc., besides other grounds south of the Huuiber, such as the Wells 
Bank, etc. * • * 

" Plaice are to be found only in the spring and fall on the shoal of the 
Dogger, and in summer on the Horn Reef and Borkuin. In winter, 
below the Dogger and off the Flamborough Head. 

"Haddocks are found in abundance on the southwest spit of the 
Dogger about October; in September ami October they work along 
the pit edge of the Dogger, and when taken they are found to have 
plenty of herring and spawn in them. 

'•Soles are caught on hard, sandy ground in warm weather, taking 
to deep water, such as the pits, where the bottom is muddy and soft, 
in winter, for warmth." 

The Dogger Bunk, which is a very extensive ground, is situated nearly 
in the middle of the North Sea ; its southwest prong is about 70 miles 
in an east-northeast direction from Spurn Point, at the mouth of the 
Humber. From there it extends northeastwardly a distance of 150 



298 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

miles, ending' in a point. It is somewhat irregular in form, being about 
GO miles wide in the broadest place. Different parts of the Dogger 
are known by specific names among the fishermen. The " West Shoal,'' 
which is a shallow ground on the southwest part of the bank, is about 
'20 miles long ESE and WNW., with a depth of from 7 to 10 fathoms, 
and a line sandy bottom. Then there is the "Outer Well Bank," or the 
"Southwest Spit." with from 15 to 18 fathoms, with a bottom of line 
sand and occasional spots of coarse sand and small rocks. In this lo- 
cality haddock and plaice are frequently found in abundance during the 
fall. Bet ween the Southwest spit and the West Shoal the shallow part 
of the bank curves inwardly like a cove, with irregular soundings, vai \ 
ing from 20 to 4H fathoms. On what is known as the south part of 
the bank, east of the "West Shoal, the bottom is chiefly tine sand, with a 
depth of from 1 1 to 20 fathoms. This is a good fishing ground, and is 
much visited. The "East End," in latitude 55° 25' north, longitude 4° 
.".0' east, is note d fora line brown sandy bottom, fret' from what tin- fisher- 
men call "scruff" or "rubbish," the depth varying from 22 to 24 fathoms. 
This is now considered one of the best fishing grounds on the Dogger. 
To the southwest, in latitude .".1 50' north, longitude .', 20' east, is the 
••('lay Deep," or "Southeast Swash of Dogger Hank." of soil ooze. 25 
miles long, southwest and northeast, wit h rough ground on either side. 
The " North Shoal " and " Northwest Spit " are tracks of more or less 
rough bottom. 

The Great Silver Pits, the west end of which lies due east of Spurn 
Point some 60 miles distant, is a gully or depression of the sea bottom 
between the Dogger Bank on the NNF.. and Wells Bank on the oppo- 
site side. Its length east and west is about Ml miles, and its width 
varies from 10 to 1 I miles. Tliedepfli ranges from 25 to about 50 fath- 
oms, with patches of bottom of different kinds, such as black mud, fine, 
sand, white mud, blue clay, stones, and gravel. 

This celebrated fishing ground was discovered about 1843, and on it 
soles were found iii extraordinary abundance. 1 It still is a favorite 
resort in winter for such of the trawlers as fish more particularly for 

soles. 

The Great Fisher Bank is thus described by Olsen : 

••This large space of ground, known by the name of the Great Fisher 

Bank, is situated in the northeast part of the German Ocean; it is of 

vast extent, and has recently been discovered as a trawling ground. 

'fhe ground chiefly consists of sandy soundings of mud and ooze, with 

depths of water varying from 40 to 45 fathoms. 

1 Dr. Francis Day, in "Notes "ii Traw ling," published in "Ashore or Afloat," Loudon, 
1883, states thai : " When the Silver Pits were first discovered it was not an uncommon 
tiling for a Haw ler to gel a ton and a half of soles a night, of from £12 to £24 value.' 
Olsen says : "Large quantities of soles were caught for the first three years." 
"When the Silver Pits were first discovered," writes Ansel], "and became fre- 
quented ;i» a fishing ground, the sole was found in the winter months in such enormous 
quantities, that the name - Silver fits ' was to the fisherjien no unmeaning one, so 
prosperous were those who resorted thither." 



Bull U S F. C 1887 —<To face page 298.) 



Plate IV 




Fig. 1 



Ui 




Fig 2, 



Plans of Steam Trawler Zodiac. 

Fir,. 1. Cross-section in boiler-room, showing location of boiler, coal-bunkers eti 
Fig ■-' Midship section, showing construction, ballast, etc. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 299 

"The best track hitherto used (1S77) is in latitude 57° 20' north, and 
longitude 1° 40' east. * * * As the ban k is of recent discovery as 

a trawling gro 1, it. is not considered as yet to be fully explored, but 

we find that the eastern part is foul, more or less, and that the north- 
western pari is most productive, large quantities of fish, chiefly had- 
docks, plaice, and cod, being brought from here to the Hull and Grimsby 
markets. This ground lias now (1SS1) been worked about •"> years. 1 ' 1 

The Cromer h'lion-l, fust fished on about 1858, lies north of the Letnan 
and Dover Sands, between them and the Dowsing Bank. It has a 
depth varying from t_! to is fathoms, with generally clear bottom for 
trawling, on which, when first discovered, the more highly prized spe- 
cies of the North Sea fishes were found in abundance. 

The foregoing will give a general idea of the most important North 
Sea trawling grounds, which, for the purposes of this report, it seems 
scarcely necessary to describe in greater detail. 

Areas of bottom, suitable for fishing with a beam-trawl, of greater 
or less extent are found along the coast, of the continent, near the east 
coast of Scotland, in the English Channel, along the west side of Eng- 
land, 2 and off the coasts of Wales and Ireland, but they are too nu- 
merous to mention even by name in this place. Suffice it to say that 
the southern and western grounds have generally been worked much 
longer than the majority of those in the North Sea, and in general 
characteristics, such as depth, kind of bottom, etc., they are like the 
latter, though as a. rule of less extent. 

The kind of fish chiefly taken on the above-mentioned grounds are 
turbot, sole, brill, plaice, lemon or cock sole, dabs, and halibut, of the 
Pleuronectidce, or flit-fish family; cod, haddock, hake, ling, and whiting, 
of the Gadida; besides which conger eels, wolf-fish, skates, gurnards, 
and a variety of other less important species are caught. 

At first, previous to the introduction of ice for preserving fish, the 
grounds nearest the British coast were the only ones which could be 
fished on, and trawling was then carried on chiefly in the English 
Channel from Dover to Land's End, and along the coasts of Wales and 
Ireland. With improved methods for preserving the fish in a fresh 
condition, the smacks were enabled to venture farther in pursuit of new 
and richer fields for carrying on their operations. In this way they 
continued to discover new fishing grounds, either b\ accident or de- 
sign, until at the present time it is pretty safe to say that there is little 

'Fisherman's Seamanship, by 0. T. Olsen, V. 1.'. <!. S., F. R. A. s. Grimsby, 1881, 
p. 103. 

'According to Mr. Edward Cattran, a veteran fisherman of Mount's Bay, the PIj 
mouth and Brixhatn trawlers fish chiefly on u hal is know n as the ' ' Brixham Ground," 
and from there round to Mount's Lay. Off Mount's Bay, he says, sole and other spe- 
cies of flat-fish, with occasional ling, arc taken, while " coarse fish" are chiefly caught 
off Brixham and Plymouth, though with the latter more or less soles and other Hat- 
fish are taken. Hake are often found in abundance. 



300 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

of the bottom of the North Sea suitable for trawling over which a beam 
trawl lias not passed. Mr. Aiisell thus describes what may be termed, 
perhaps, the accidental discovery of a new fishing ground some forty 
years ago, though it may more properly be said that this find was a 
happy combination of chance and enterprise, which so frequently influ- 
ences the welfare of mankind : 

'•Chance broughl about one of the most astonishing results in the 
history of the fishing trade about the year 1844, and founded the trade 
at Hull in consequence. One of the Ramsgate boats, in extending her 
searches for fish, was bv adverse ^\ inds blown farther north than it was 
the intention of the crew, but. determined to make a try, thej shot their 
trawl in what is now so well known as the Silver Pits, and their plucky 
venture and labor were rewarded by a miraculous draught of fishes, 
which were nearly all soles. Very soon tins became noised abroad, and 
Other boats followed, who were equally rewarded with good results." 

According to Boldswortb, the Great Silver Pit was first worked 
over about L843, during a severe wilder. 

"The Well Hank and Botany Cut [he writes] had been explored and 
discovered to be very productive grounds; and between them and the 
Dogger, and bearing nearly true east from Flamborough Head, the 
Admiralty chart showed a bed of deeper sounding, ranging in some 
parts of it from 30 to 10 fathoms: the whole extending for about tin miles 
east and west and from <i to 10 miles wide. Tins patch was marked 
the 'Outer Silver Pit,' and on trying if with a trawl, in the deeper parts 
at the western end and near the middle, soles were found during that 
verj cold season in almost incredible numbers; the nets were hauled 
up bristling with li.-h trying to escape through the meshes: and such 
catches were made as the most experienced fishermen had never dreamed 
of. * * * In subsequent years the Silver Pit has again been found 
verv productive whenever the wilder has been verv severe, or. as the 
trawlers call it. in ' Pit seasons.'" 

The same author tells us. however, that --soles are generally dis- 
tributed wherever then- is clean sandy ground, but they are not found 
so much in very deep water, except during cold weather. The London 
market is principally supplied with this fish from the banks of the 
Norfolk coast and from the Channel. * * * It is rarely that any 
number of soles is landed at Hull, and the Grimsby shops are often sup- 
plied from London." 

D. The Fishermen. 

The crew of a beam-trawler varies from four to seven persons on a 
sailing vessel, and from six to eighl on a steamer. The cutters id' the 
south of Euglaud (from Plymouth, Brixham, Ramsgate, Dover, and 
other ports), which vary in size from 25 to oil tons, usually carry four 
persons in a crew, one or more being boys. Many of the Yarmouth 
vessels, if not themajoritj of them, have seven in a crew, but the trawl- 



Bull U S F. C 1887.— (To face page 300.) 



Plate V. 



-t 






O 



■- 
5. 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 301 

ers sailing from Hull and Grimsby, and which are the Iargesl vessels 
of their class, carry only five persons in a crew, as a rule, though iu 

exceptional cases the crew-list may be larger. 

The Grimsby steam-trawlers carry eight in a crew, but the smaller 
class of steamers do not require, so many men. 

In any case, a number of boys are usually carried. The Grimsby 
sailing-trawler generally has two boys in its crew, and sometimes the 
three youngest members of a crew are mere lads, varying in age from 

twelve to seventeen years, in which case there would lx ly (wo men 

on board a vessel— the captain and -'second hand." Ordinarily the 
crew of a sailing trawler of the larger class is constituted as follows: 
The cook is the youngest, and is usually from twelve to sixteen years of 
age. The - fourth hand" or -'deck hand." the next in grade, is a lad 
of fifteen to eighteen years of age, and generally one who has served 
a term at cooking. Next in rank is the " third hand,'* who. according 
to his ability and experience, may lie promoted to this position when 
he is from seventeen to eighteen years old, and may have to hold it for 
lack of further promotion for several years; therefore, third hands 
vary in age from seventeen to twenty seven years or more. The "second 
hand 1 ' occupies the position next to the master, his duty and official 
position corresponding with that of a, mate on a merchant vessel. 

The skipper completes the crew. In almost every c.\^' promotions 
are made from the next lower grade, and, with comparatively few ex- 
ceptions, the, officers of a smack have served a, long apprenticeship in 
all the inferior grades. Of course, there is much difference in the length 
of time men may have to serve before rising to command, this depend- 
ing on their ability, and perhaps on other circumstances. 

The duties of the various mem hers of a tra\> lei 'screw are thus defined: 
The cook, or,as he is sometimes called, the "fifth hand," must cook the 
food for all hands, and take care of the cabin and store-room, where the, 
provisions are kept. He must learn to steer by the compass, for he must 
take the helm while the trawl is being shot, lie must also acquire a 
knowledge of making and mending nets and nettles, take care of the 
reefing gear and keep it iu its proper place, and it is his duty to coil 
away the trawl-warp when the trawl is being hove up. Also, he is ex- 
pected, with the assistance of tht' "deck hand," to prepare the lights and 
Hares for use, and to see that they are in their proper places, while the 
spare pump -car ami fog-signals mtisl receive siniilaratteiif ion. As may 
he easily surmised, it is asy task for a small hoy of twelve, or thir- 
teen years of age to properly perform these various duties, particularly in 
rough weather, when the energies of a, strong man would he severely 
taxed to do the work which is allotted to the cook. But it is sometimes 
wonderful to observe, what may he done by a, mere child who has been 
trained to the work, and we are told that, these boy cooks generally 
perforin their duties satisfactorily, though, of course, there is much less 
refluemeut in the preparation of food than on American fishing vessels, 



302 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

where the cook usually receives the highest pay of any one of the crew, 
the captain excepted, and must be a capable and active man. 

The " deck hand " or " fourth hand " is generally a lad who has served 
as cook, and has been promoted a grade: therefore, he is supposed to be 
able to do all that the cook can do, besides the special duties belonging 
t<> his new position. The deck hand must know how to steer and keep 
a watch in fine weather when sailing or trawling. To do this, he must 
be able to manage a vessel under ordinary conditions of wind and 
weather. 

"He should be able to manage a boat in fine weather, know the 
marks of the lead-line, and take soundings, splice small ropes and whip 
them, make nettles, gaskets or sennet, braid a cod end, and learn to 
mend small holes in the net. He ought to tend the trawl in line weather, 
keep the hold and forecastle (lean and in proper order, know the sails 
by the marks [the sails are known by pieces of t wine with knots on the 
end] 1 in the dark, and keep them in their proper places, make thole- 
pins for the trawl-warp rail and boat, help to prepare fish for the 
market, assist the cook to trim lights, and obey all lawful commands." ' 

The "third hand " rates as an ordinary seaman, and usually has 
passed through the two lower grades. He should have sufficient ex- 
perience to manage a vessel when her trawl is out as well as at other 
times, must be capable of keeping the ordinary long watches, which 
on a trawler may be six or eighl hours on deck, and he must understand 
the "rules of the road." so as to avoid collision. It is required that 
he should learn the set of the tides, take soundings, understand how 
to make, mend, rig. and prepare a trawl for shooting; also it is a 
part of his duty to go in the boat when fish are to be "boarded" or 
taken to the carrier, while he is expected to have a care for the rigging' 
put on chafing gear. etc.. besides assisting in the care of the fish. 

The mate or "second hand " should be an able seaman, and be more 
thoroughly conversant with the general work than the third hand. It 
is important that he should have a very comprehensive knowledge of 
all that pertains to making a trawl, preparing the bridles, shooting the 
gear, managing the smack under all conditions of wind and weather, 
either sailing or fishing: while he ought to be familiar with the char- 
acteristics of the different fishing grounds, understand the tides on each. 
and also be proficient in the use of a sounding-lead. He is responsible 

1 This applies to the head-sails and gaff-topsails. A trawlei usually carries two or 
three sets of top-sails of different sizes, to be used according to the strength of the 
wind — a jib-header in strong or fresh \\ inds, a large square-headed sail in light winds, 
and frequently an intermediate Bize, with a short yard. As man; different sizes of 
stay-foresails and jibs an- carried, these being set as circumstances demand, while 
the " spare sails " are slowed away below. Frequently, of course, it is necessary to 
change the sails at night, and ii is therefore important that the members of a smack's 
crew should be able to determine at once what sail they put their hands on, sincethis 
knowledge obviates much work and difficulty. 

2 Fisherman's Seamanship, by (). T. Olsen, p. 33. 






Plate VI. 




x 

> 







. 




J5 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 303 

for ill tin- ship's stoics, whicb must be kept in ;i proper condition for 
use. Be should have a familiar knowledge of the buoys, beacons, light- 
houses, light-ships, and 'landmarks along the coast, and much experience 
iu tbe management of a vessel under all circumstances, since, in the 
ce or inability of the master, the mate must take charge of the 
ship and carry on the work. 

"The master's duty says < >lsen], when he takes charge of a smack, is 
tn overhaul the rigging, sails, running gear, anchors, chain, [tumps, side 
and mast head light, see that his compass is correct, and order his pro- 
visions, ice, and stores for the roy: 

••lie must knoic the duties of every man on board, and see that every 
man does his duty, fie mast never forget that he is the master, and as 
such answerable to the owner. He must be able to navigate his vessel 
skilfully, know how to use his chart, and fiud his position on it by 
soundings taken.' lie should be able to find the latitude by meridian 
altitude of the sun. work a day's work, and fiud the time of high water. 
He must be well acquainted with the rules of (he road, lights, buoys, 
beacous, and dangerous shoals, where his trade lies, and know the na- 
ture of the ground fur fishing. He must In- an able seaman as well as 
a good fisherman, so that he can manage his vessel iu all weathers and 
under all circumstances, and pick a boat up in bad weather with safety. 
It is his duty to see the trawl-warp properly secured to the mast when 
fishing, see that side and mast head lights are properly trimmed, lit. 
and iu their places at sundown. He should see to the icing and pre- 
paring of the fish for market and arrange them for sale in the market. 
He must see that the watches are properly kept at sea and at anchor, 
navigate the ship himself when going to sea until free of danger, and 
he must be ready at any moment (night or day) to come on deck when 
called, and use his superior knowledge iu all emergencies. * 
He must act exactly as if handling his own property and not that of 
another man, keep his ship clean and in a seaworthy condition, and 
always keep a good lookout."-' 

The skipper and mate- usually receive a share in the proceeds of the 
catch, and the third hand may be. and often is. paid a part of a share 
and a part in a certain stipulated sum per week, but the two younger 
members of the crew are hired. 



- i far as I am able to judge by tl whicb I bad an oppi 

making, very little a'' - paid to tbe higher brai i a the 

trawlers. The principal dependence of the trawling skipper is oil h - 
and familiarity with the sonndings on the fishing grounds and aloi _ 
plemeuted by his thorough knowledge of tbe set of the tides. B\ 
for years men become wonderfully expert iu this peculiar kin p ami 

navigation, and seem to reach accurate conclus 

which seems almost intuitive. Tie- fishermen . a fair ki 

charts, ami understand the ordinary rules for keepii 
informed that observations of tbe sun 01 ■ de, and 

lid not learn that chronometers an though such may be the i 

rare instances. 
- Fisherman's Seamanship, etc., pp. 34, 35. 



304 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Formerly the cook and third hand were apprenticed to the master or 
owner of a smack for a term of years, and when their apprenticeship 
expired they were promoted to higher grades. This system has been 
much modified, if not abolished, by recent acts of Parliament, one of 
which, the "Merchant Seaman (payment of wages and rating) Act," of 
18S0, it is alleged, had a bad effect on the crews, since it took away the 
control Which the owners had previously possessed over their appren- 
tices. It also combined with other causes to materially decrease 
the number of apprentices from Grimsby and Hull, and their places 
were filled by inexperienced boys, taken from other trades, who fre- 
quently did not stay long enough on board the vessels to become ser- 
viceable and trustworthy. It has been put in evidence that — 

"In some cases the skippers and second hands were not so efficient 
as formerly, though as a rule this was not the case: but the tear was 
generally expressed that this would steadily and rapidly increase as the 
existing men die out, and only men with inferior training are coming 
on to till their places. * * * 

"The deep sea fisherman's vocation appears to be a specialty, which 
requires time and special training to master, and one not easily taken 
up by the average seaman, however well trained in ordinary trades."' 

The fishermen employed in the British beam trawl fishery are a hardy, 
robust class uf men, ami are distinguished for professional skill, bravery, 
and dogged perseverance; qualities which are Mich marked character- 
istics of seamen of the Anglo Saxon race in all parts of the world. The 
majority of them are trained to the sea from childhood. A constant 
association with the perils and vicissitudes of a fisherman's life imbues 
them even at an early age with a sense of responsibility and fearless- 
ness, qualifications which are necessary to their professional suc- 
cess. Then, too, the impressionable minds of the boys who constitute 
a portion of every trawler's crew soon become well stored with a knowl- 
edge of i he details of fisherman's seamanship. Not only do the younger 
members of the crew learn the ordinary duties of a seaman, such as to 
••hand, reef, and steer," but they become familiar, as has been shown, 
with the construction and manipulation of fishing apparatus, acquire 
a knowledge of the different kinds of fish and their respective value, 
and later on secure important information relative to the tishiug grounds 
and the seasons when fish are most abundant in special localities. All 
of this knowledge is, of course, of vital importance to the fisherman 
who aspires to success in his calling, and though the boj who begins 
his sea life at an early age may perhaps be deprived of many advant- 
ages that others may enjoy for obtaining a school education, it is, never- 
theless, more likely that he will make a better and more successful 
fisherman than if he had more knowledge of books and less of his 
calling. Therefore, notwithstanding the system of apprenticeship which 

' Report to the Board of Trade ou the sj stem of deep-sea trawi fishing iu the North 
Sea, London, ls-3, \>. 10. 



Bull. U. S. F. C. 1887.-(To face page 304 ; 



Plate VII. 




Sail Plan of Ketch-rigged Sailing Trawler Willie and Ada, of Grimsby. 



1 . .Til.-t. 'p- ' II 
■->. Jib 

3 Stay-foresail. 
4. Forward ca] isl an 

i ring or traveler. 
6 Bowsprit. 



; Bobst i\ 

S Main gaff-topsail 

9 Mainsail. 

10. Main boom. 

1j Capstan 

12 Trawl-warp roller 



13, Dummy. 

i i i abin companion. 

15 sii >ve pipe 

'i, Mai ■ ■ ■■ 

\'i Mizzen stay. 

I*j Mizzen gaff topsail 



I!- Mizzen i >i spanker, 
■jii. Dawlj « inch 
21 Spanker boom, 
■j-.v Spanker sbect 

ter line. 
b I 'anting line. 



. . .. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. ;}0, r > 

has been in vogue on the English trawlers may be open to many objec- 
tions, it is nevertheless a fact, that the training which boys gel under 
such a system is important in producing a hardy, brave, and capable 
class of seamen, who are specially lifted tor their vocation. 

E. Vessels. 

The various types of vessels employed in the beam-trawl fishery, 

namely: steam-carriers, screw and side wheel steam-trawlers, the North 
Sea sailing trawler, and the single masted trawling smack (also the 
smack's boat) have all been described very much in detail in the chap- 
ter on fishing vessels and fishing boats of Great Britain, to which 
reference is made for further information as to the construction, rig, 
dimensions, and equipment of the British trawling fleet. Therefore, 
to avoid a repetition of the details, it is deemed necessary in this place 
to give only a general description of the various t\ pes of vessels alluded 
to above.' 

The steam -carriers, employed in transporting the catch of the trawl- 
ing fleets t<> the more important markets — London, Grimsby, and Hull — 
are iron, ketch-rigged, screw-steamers, designed especially for the trade. 
They have the reputation of being excellent sea-going vessels, and 
it is said that so well are the qualities of seaworthiness, capacity, and 
speed combined, that though they are able to make headway against 
heavy head winds and seas and to carry a large cargo, they neverthe- 
less steam fast under ordinary conditions of wind and weather. Steam- 
carriers were first introduced in 1864, previous to which time large 
sailing cutters were employed for carrying the fish from the trawling 
fleets to the markets. 

The size varies somewhat, but the following dimensions of the screw- 
steam carrier Australia, of Hull, one of the recent additions to the licet, 
will give a fair idea of the proportions of the most approved type of 
these vessels : Length between perpendiculars, 135 feet: beam, 22 feet 
6 inches: depth (to top of floors, 11 feet. (See Plate I, page 292.) 

The steam-trawlers are built of iron in some localities, but in other 
places, particularly in Scotland, wood is used in their construction. 
The majority are ketch or schooner rigged screw-steamers, but a con- 
siderable number of side-wheel boats, chiefly tugs from the Tyne, are 
employed in trawling. The old Tyne tugs can not, in the Hue sense of 
the term, be called typical steam-trawlers, since they were designed 
for other purposes, and have been used for trawling only because they 
failed to find employment in towing shipping; a result brought about by 
the employment of steam screw coasting vessels and a general decline 
in the carrying trade from the Tyne. The steam-trawler proper came 

'At the time this paper was written, the author bad prepared an i report 

on the fishing craft of the world, which it was expected would lie published at the 
same time as this. The report is still in manuscript, but will probably soon In' pub- 
lished. 

Bull. U. S. V. C, 87 !'(» 



306 BULLETIN- OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

into use about 1882, two vessels having been built and set to work in 
that year by the Grimsby and North Sea Steam Trawling Company, 
which lias the reputation of being the first in England to construct 
vessels specially for this trade; at least the first to employ steamers 
successfully, though it is on record that experiments had previously 
been made to utilize steamers for beam trawling. 

There is considerable variation in the size of the steamers employed 
in trawling. They range from about 40 to 120 tons. Among the largest 
are those from Grimsby, which generally act in the double capacity of 
catchers and carriers. The Z»<li<«\ which was the pioneer vessel of the 
last mentioned class, is an iron, ketch-rigged screw-boat, 92 feet long 
between perpendiculars. I'd feet beam. 10 feet inches depth of hoid, 
and 192 indicated horse-power. 1 The Granton, a Scotch built, schooner 
rigged, wooden, screw steam trawler, one of the largest and finest of 
her class, is los feet long over all, 100 feet between perpendiculars, lit 
feet beam, and 10 feet depth of hold. Her nominal horse-power is 
45; effective horse-power 225. She steams 11 knots, and makes 11 
knots under sail and steam. - 

A lew side-wheel steamers have recently been built in Scotland spe- 
cially for beam trawlers (and for towing herring boats as well), s e of 

the fishermen preferring this class of vessel to the screw steamers. These 
depend more entirely on steam power than the propellers, and therefore 
have only one mast, stepped well forward, on which can be set a jib and 
mainsail. 

As a rule, the screw steam trawlers are fine weatherly boats, and the 
best of them are probably not surpassed in sea-goipg qualities by any 
vessels in the world. 

flic North Sea sailing trawler is the most important type of vessel 
engaged in the beam trawl fishery, if the numbers employed and the 
work it has to perform are taken into consideration. 

With comparatively few exceptions these vessels are built of wood ; 
a few iron smacks have been const ructed, but they do not appear to have 
met with great favor, judging from the fact that their numbers have 
not been materially increased of late years. 

'fhe North Sea trawler is designed to secure the maximum of sea- 
worthiness with a fair amount of speed. In the former quality it is 
probably not excelled by any vessel of its size in the world, and although 
it is comparatively light rigged "jury rigged," as it is called by some of 
the English fishermen), it nevertheless oftentimes attains a moderatelj 
high rate of speed.' It is ketch or " dandy " rigged — the arrangement 
of spars and sails being specially well adapted to the work it, has to 
perform. It ranges in size from 35 to 85 tons, though comparatively 
few vessels of this class are smaller than 50 tons, while many of those 
now being built range upwards of 70 tons. The following dimensions 

•See Plates II, III, and IV, pages 294, 296, and 298. 
- See Plate V, page :S0O. 
3 See Plate VI, page 302. 



Bull. U S. F C 1887 -(To face page 306. 1 



Plate VIII. 



X 


-f 


a 


-„' 


*. 


.: . . 


" 


c, 


g 


& 


*] 


- 


- 


- 


w 






















= 








-* 


■>' 


































- 




































i 


t 









- j: v ; — r -■ 






=^ ; ? 



- ~ i - 



n T r g 

2 s* 



S".a ' 









- 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 307 

of the smack Willie and Ada, of Grimsby (in which the writer made a 
trip to the Dogger Bank), may be taken as a fair illustration of the pro- 
portions of the first-class North Sea trawler, though this vessel is not 
so deep as themajority of the class to whichshe belongs: Length, over 
all (outside of stem to outside of taft'rail), 77 feel 6 indies; beam. L'o feet; 
width at taft'rail, 12 feet; depth of hold. Id feet : 73.GS ions. The sad 
area would be from TOO to 750 running yards of 24 inch canvas, and the 
dimensions of spars as follows: Mainmast, deck to hounds, 35 feet:; 
inches, total above deck. 15 feet; maintop-mast, 33 feet; main-boom, 
37 feet; main-gaff, 30 feet; main gaff-topsail yard, 17 feet; mizzen-ruast, 

above deck. 37 feet (10 feet of this, above t he e.\ es of I he miz/en rigging, 

is tapered to form a pole top-mast); mizzen-boom, 1!) feet 6 inches; 
mizzen-gaff, 11 feet ; mizzen gaff-topsail yard, 8 feet ; bowsprit, outside 
stem, L'O feet. (See Plates VII and VIII.) 

Of late years many improvements have been made in the equipment 
of the sailing trawlers, among which the most important, perhaps, is the 
introduction of improved apparatus for handling the trawl. 

The next, important type of trawliug vessel is the single-masted 
smack or cutter, employed chiefly in the south and west of England, 
from Wales, and also from Ireland. These vessels are much smaller 
than the ketch-rigged trawlers, ami seldom exceed 50 tons in size. 
As a rule, they adopt the "single boating " system, and it is necessary 
that they should lie swifter than the vessels that follow "fleeting." We 
therefore find that the Brixham smacks, which may be taken as the 
type of this class, are very sharp, deep, and rather narrow, with a pro- 
portionately large spread of canvas, the form and sail area being such 
as to insure a high rate of speed. At the same time they have the 
reputation of being fine sea-boats, and there is probably not to be found 
in the fishing tleets of the world a higher combination of excellent sail- 
ing qualities and sea-worthiness than is possessed by some of the modern 
built trawling cutters of the south of EDgland. A builder's model of 
one of these vessels, that was exhibited at London i L883), represented 
the following proportions: Length, 67 feet; beam 17.9 feet; depth, 0.7 
feet ; draught of water from 10 to 11 feet. 

We quote from Uoldsworth the following notes on the history, rig, 
and general equipment of the vessels employed in trawling when he 
wrote, which may answer very well for the present time, with the ex- 
ception that the introduction of steam trawlers, iron smacks, and a few 
other changes which have been noted, have occurred since his report 
was published : 

"The vessels used for trawling are commonly called smacks. During 
the last twenty years great improvements have been made in their 
design with the object of making them faster; and in some few cases 
it maybe a question whether by the adoption of very tine lines sea- 
going qualities have not been to some extent sacrificed to the desire 
for increased speed. Formerly the smacks were much smaller than at 
the present time, and ranged from 23 to o(J tons N. M. They were 



308 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

built with the principal object of living through anything, and rarely 

tailed to make good weather of it at all times. Many of these strong 
well-built vessels are still at work, and would lie likely to hold their 
own for many more years, were it not that sea-going qualities are not 
the only ones required at the present day. Now, the greater demand 
for fish and the increased number of smacks have led to more compe- 
tition anion-' the fishermen, and time has become more valuable; for 
the first boats in are liable to get the best price for their fish. Most <>t 
the modem trawl-vessels are of a large size, running up to 70 tons X. 

M.. and are line powerful craft of upwards of (i() feet keel and g 1 

beam. They are, as formerly, built high at the bow and with plenty 
of sheer, making them eas\ and comfortable sea-boats, and whilst their 
increase in size enables them to use larger trawl beams and larger nets, 
the general improvement in the knowledge of ship building has led to 
the adoption of easier lines in their const met ion. resulting in the much 
better sailing qualities which are now required to meet the demands 
of the trade. The quick delivery of the fish is every daj becoming a 
mine important object, as the demand for it increases all over the 
country: and the smacks may daily be seen racing back to the great 
trawling stations to land their fish, each one endeavoring, often with 
the help of balloon canvas, to bring her catch early to market, where 
the buyers are waiting with orders to purchase for all parts of the 
country. 

••The vessels regukirh employed in trawling are, as we have said, 
called -smacks,' a term which appears to have been applied to fishing 
boats rigged as sloops or cutters. In these smacks the mast is stepped 
well forward so as to allow ol and powerful mainsail, at the 
same time giving plenty of room for the stowage of a long trawl-beam 
and large net when not at work. The rigging of these vessels was 
formerly tough and simple, and a long head to the mast to support the 
short top-mast was all that was necessary w hen only a small top sail 
was to lie set: but the large light sails now cat ried commonly require 
the addition iA' cross-trees and back stays to secure the spar under the 
.strain it has to bear. In the west country the bowsprit is without any 
rigging as the head sails are small, and it is desirable to have no bob- 
stay in the way of the trawl-warp, which, being always hauled in over 
the bow, has to be led thence out side clear of 1 he rigging to one side 
or other of the vessel, according to which tack she is on when at work, 
and to be brought on board again amidships, where it is made fast to 
the pump-head. .\ large winch is fitted just before the mast for heav- 
ing in the trawl, and there is a small windlass astern, called the 'damh 
wink,' 1 shipped between the head of thee panion and the bulwark.' 

" Dandy" signifies small, and " sviuk " is the name applied to a wind] ass winked 
l>j short fixed le aovable handspikes. 

tic increase in the size of the smacks of late years the ri lative position oi 
the dandy wink lias beeu changed farther aft. See description of dandy winch m 
another paragraph. 



a 
O 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 309 

for hoisting up the after end of the beam when the trawl is got on 
board. In the North Sea trawlers the trawl-warp is worked and got 
in over the side by means of a patent capstan shipped near the center 
<if the vessel. This excellent contrivance is worked by two ordinary 
winch-handles acting- on an arrangement of rack and pinion fitted 
either to the top of the spindle round which the capstan turns, or to 
an iron standard by the side of the capstan. 

"The large trawl vessels now in use from Grimsby and Hull, and re- 
cently built, are rigged in a different manner from that which has long 
been the general custom with the smaller craft. It was found that the 
increased size of the mainsail and heavy main-boom necessary for these 
larger vessels required more hands to manage them ; and as the quan- 
tity of fish taken by these vessels did not increase in proportion to the 
greater size— the nets usrd by them being only slightly enlarged- 
economy and convenience were both in favor of reducing the large 
mainsail if it could be done without seriously diminishing the working- 
power of the vessel. The new trawlers were therefore built of consid- 
erable length, so as to give plenty of room for a good mizzen-mast ; the 
mast being stepped well forward to allow sufficient steeling room abaft, 
the large, unmanageable mainsail was got rid of, and the reduction in 
its size made up by a, good-sized gaff mizzeii. Tbese vessels can now 
be worked economically, and the sails, being in comparatively small 
pieces, are managed with only one hand more than in much smaller 
craft. Although these large trawlers do not. bring in much more fish 
than the vessels perhaps L5 or I'll tons smaller — for the longest beams 
now in use do not exceed 50 feet — it is believed their greater cost is 
compensated for by the additional accommodation provided.' The 
crew have more room and increased cooking conveniences, and there is 
much better stowage for the ice and fish; and it speaks well both for 
the owners and the prosperity of the fishing trade that the men who 
are exposed to the hardships and dangers of the deep-sea fisheries are 
taken good care of by those who, having in most cases themselves gone 
through with the practical part >^' the work, are now in the happy po- 
sition of owners, and can remain comfortably on shore. 

"At Yarmouth, and some other places on the North Sea coast, the lug. 
gers, when not employed in herring fishing, are in some cases converted 

■In describing the discovery of the Great Silver l'it and its influence mi the devel 
opment of the trawl fishery, etc., Holds-worth writes as follows concerning changes 
which were made in the vessels : " At the time of the discovery of this ground tho 
number of North Sea trawlers was very small; they were then only of about half 
the size of the majority of the smacks of the present day; ami not enough was known 
of the fishing grounds to tempt the fishermen far from the land iu vessels of such 
little power, either to i leather they would be likely to encounter, or to seek 

for fish at a long distance from market. The first objection lias been fairly met by 
the large increase in the size of the smacks ; ami the second lias been practically re- 
moved by tie- great extension of railways along the coast, the em ploy men I. of large, 
fast-sailing cutters or steari arriers 7 to collect ami bring in the fish from the 

smacks." 



310 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

into trawlers; and, as the lug-rig is not very suitable for that mode of 
fishing, a temporarj cliaDge is made, and they are fitted out with a dif- 
ferent set ot masts and sails; the dandy, or perhaps speaking more cor- 
rectly, the ketch-rig with gaff-sails being the one adopted, the same as 
just described in the large modern-built trawlers at Grimsby and Hull. 
Sonic of the Ramsgate and Brixham vessels are now rigged in the same 
manner, and we have no doubt that it will be very generally adopted 
for the new vessels on various parts of the coast where deep sea trawl- 
ing is carried on, although as a rule fishermen are not fond of giving 
up what they have been long accustomed to. * * * 

"In 1862 a new trawler ready for sea, and what was then considered 

( f the larger class, could lie limit and lilted out for C700 or £800; 

but the vessels before mentioned as having recently come into use at 
Hull and Grimsby can not lie turned out ready for work for much less 
than £1,200 each. This includes a lit out of all that is required tor fish- 
ing, and costs about £70or £80. A fit out consists of a double set of al- 
most every part of the gear, to provide against accidents, and generally 
to save the time which would be lost if the smack were obliged to re- 
turn to port before she Lad done a fair quantity of work. A trawl net 
will perhaps last from two to tour months, according to the nature of 
the ground worked on ; but during that time, parts of it will have to be 
renewed. The back of the uet, being exposed to the least wear, lasts 
the longest; the under part will generally require renewing twice, and 
the cod live or six times, before the net is finally condemned, 'the cost 
of a new net is about E9 when made of ordinary hemp; but manilhl is 
coming into use for this purpose, as it is very much stronger, although 
more costly. It is dressed with coal-tar. which preserves the material 
better than either Stockholm tar or tan. One of the large nets now- 
used, and measuring about 50 feel across the square, can not be made 
for much less than £16. 

■•• Barking' the sails of fishing crafts is almost universal in this coun- 
try. It consists in mopping them over with a solution of oak bark, tar, 
grease, and ocher, which acts as a good preservative to the canvas; 
this is done every six or eight weeks, and a yard is prepared ami kept 
lor the purpose at all the important fishing stations." 1 

F. Fishing Apparatus. 

1. Tin. Beam-Trawl. 

'fhe beam trawl has been described as "a triangular, flat, purse- 
shaped net, with the mouth extended by a horizontal wooden beam, 
which is raised a short distance from the ground by means of two iron 
supports or heads, the upper part of the mouth being fastened to the 
beam, and the under portion dragging on the ground as the net is towed 
over the bottom." The detailed description which follows refers more 

1 Deep-Sen Fishing and Fishing Boats, pp. (56-70. 



Bull. U S. F. C. 1887.— i To face pj 



Plate X. 




Beam-trawl, from above; Cod-end unloosed 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 311 

particularly to the style of beam-trawl used iu the North Sea by the 
Hull and Grimsby fishermen, though, it may be stated, this lias a close 
affinity to the trawls which are worked in the waters off Plymouth, 
Brixham, and other places in Great Britain. 

(a). The Ileum. 

The beam is made of a length to correspond with the dimensions of the 
net; andthesize of botli the net ami beam is usually adapted to the. length 
and ability of the vessel which is to tow the trawl. The length of the 
trawl-beams carried by the. huge vessels varies from 40 to upwards of :>n 
feet in length, though for inshore fishing the length is, of course, not 
so great, ranging anywhere from 10 or L2 feet upwards. The beam is 
usually made of ash, beech, or elm. the latter being preferred and most 
commonly used; oak also is sometimes employed for this purpose, but is 
generally considered too heavy. 1 For the larger beams it is sometimes 
necessary to use two or more pieces of timber, which are scarfed and 
banded with iron hoops, but a single stick, if easily obtained, is gener- 
ally preferred. In either case the timber is selected as nearly the proper 
size as possible, and little more isdoue to it than to remove the bark from 
the. stick and tit the ends so that they will slip into the sockets on the 
beam heads, where they are securely held by iron wedges driven around 
the wood. A piece of timber with a slight curve in it is generally pre- 
ferred by the North Sea. fishermen, this being so lifted to the. trawl- 
heads that the middle of the. beam curves up and is somewhat farther 
from the bottom than the ends ate. This is considered much better 
than a straight beam when fishing for haddock, hake, and other free- 
swimming fishes, but probably would have no advantage over the latter 
if sole, turbot, plaice, and other flat-fish were the chief object of par. 
suit. 

Holdsworth says: "The length of the beam for each vessel is mainly 
determined by the distance between the taffrail and the after shroud, con- 
venience and security both making it desirable to carry the beam, when 
not iu use, hoisted up alongside, with one end projecting just beyond the 
Stern of the ve ssel, where it is made fast by a special rope or chain, and 
theother coming in front of the after shroud or shrouds. The advantage 
of this arrangement is obvious, as it is generally the case that the beam 
has to be hoisted up whilst the vessel is rolling and pitching about ia a. 
seaway, 'l'he after end of the beam is first got into place, ami t he fore- 
part is then hoisted up until level with the lop of the bulwark, over 
which and between two of the shrouds the iron head at the end of the 

1 " Beech is the best wood for the purpose," according to Wilcocks, "because it is .mi 
porous, drinking up the water like a sponge, and thus becoming very heavy, which en- 
ables it to keep the ground." In trawling ports spare trawl-beams arc kept on hand, 
and these are put where they may be soaked with water for at least several hours a 
day for a considerable period before they are used. 



312 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

beam finds a snug berth, and all danger of the heavy and somewhat 
unmanageable spar swinging on board as the vessel lurches is avoided. 
It would be often difficult to prevent this if the beam were not long 
enough to overlap the after shrouds. " ' 

The above .statement applies more particularly tn the single-masted 
cutters, but it may he said that on the larger ketch-rigged trawlers the 
forward end of the beam usually comes in abaft the main rigging, and 
is prevented from swinging across deck by a guy rope (one end of 
which is last to the after main shroud), which is taken around the head 
or the end of the beam In one man. who holds it thinly with a round 
turn on the rigging. 

(b). The Traiol-heads. 

The traw 1 heads, or head-irons, serve a variety of purposes, such as (1) 
weighting the trawl sufficiently to sink it; (2) supporting the beam, 
each end of w hich is (irmly fixed at right angles into a socket, commonly 
called a " cap " or "joggle," above or below the top of the head-irou; 
(3) raising the upper part or back of the net, which is fastened to the 
beam, from the ground, thus keeping the mouth of the apparatus open 
sufficiently to permit the entrance of fish; (4) as a runner, which slides 

easily over the bott , and to which are attached, on the trout side, the 

towing bridles. \\ bile the foot rope and wiugs of the net are fastened to 
the rear of the trawl head. 

There are several forms of head-inms used on different parts of the 
British coast, though those most commonly employed have a general 
resemblance to each other ; local differences being due, in most cases, to 
some peculiarity which exists or has existed in the fishing from certain 
sections. 




Fig. 1. Trawl-head. 



From Grimsby, Hull, and other important fishing ports on the easl 
coast of England a trawl-head like that shown in Fig. 1 is the prevailing 

'Deep-Sea Fishing, etc., p. .v.. 



Bull. U. S. F C 1887— (To face page 312.) 



Plate XI. 



2 
o 



i 
o 

i 

I 
o 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 813 

pattern. The size ami weight varies considerably, depending chiefly 
on the dimensions of the net, bul somewhal on the judgment of the 

skippers using them, some believing that a heavy head-iron is prefera 
blc, while others may think one of medium weight will fish as well ami 
is easier to handle On the larger class of North Sea sailing trawlers 
they range from about 300 to 4W) pounds weight tor the two heads. 

Holds worth says: "The weight of the two irons ranges on different 
parts of the coast from 230 to 3G0 pounds, and varies generally with 
the size of the net and beam, as they do with the size of the Vessel; bul 
in some parts of the North Sea. where the tides are very strong, mod- 
erate-sized trawls require a great deal of weight in the head irons to 
keep them on the ground. It is not to the interest of the fisherman, 
however, to weight his trawl beam more than enough to keep his gear 
at the. bottom under the ordinary conditions of working." 

The trawl-heads of the smack Willie and Ada, of Grimsby, 73.6S 
tons, weighed 180 pounds each, were 1 feet high, '1 feet 10 inches wide, 
in the broadest part, the iron of which they were made being 4 inches 
wide and three-fourths of an inch thick. The head-irons used on the 
cutter Sobriety, 75.29 tons, of the same port, each weighed 230 pounds. 

As the North Sea trawlers catch large quantities of haddock, and 
more or less of other species of free-swimming fishes, it is desirable to 
have the beam farther from the ground than if flat-fishes were the only 
or chief object of pursuit ; therefore the sockets into which the ends of 
the beam tit are placed on top of the trawl-head. Essentially the same 
form of head is used by the Brixham and Plymouth trawlers as that 
above described, these of course being somewhat lighter, as the vessels 
are generally smaller than those of the east coast ports; while the heavy 
head irons on the large vessels are perhaps generally lighter in pro- 
portion to their width than those commonly employed on the south 
coast. The trawl-heads are all made of wrought iron, the lower part — 
generally called the "sole" or the "shoe" — being of extra thickness, 
since this is exposed to the most wear as it slides over the bottom. 





Fig. 'J. Barking pattern. 



Fig. 3. Tkawl-iikaii for i.vsiioki 



The peculiar stirrup- shaped head iron, Pig. 2, known as the " Bark- 
ing pattern," with its beam socket beneath instead of above the upper 



314 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

part, has beeD a long time in use by vessels belonging to the Thames. 
The statement has been made that "it is now generally adopted by 
the Yarmouth smacks, having been introduced by the Barking vessels, 
many of which find it convenient to make that port their station." 

The small trawlers, which fish inshore near various ports of the 
British coast, use another form of trawl-head which is very much like 
that used by the Brixham men: the difference is that the iron loop 
through which the ground rope passes before it is made last is put 
inside instead of outside of the frame, as shown in Fig. .">. 

Of late years several English inventors have brought out devices for 
improving the head irons. Perhaps the most noticeable of these is that 
invented by J. W. de Caux. Fig. 1. which was exhibited at London, and 
is constructed on the same principle as a Dutch pattern described in 
another paragraph. The trawl-head of de Caux's is wholly of iron, and 
consists of two strong iron plates, arranged in a triangle, joined together 
at the apex so as to form a socket for the end of the beam, and each 
having a crutch or fork at its lower end that tits over a wheel, to the 
huh of which the extremities of the fork is fastened by a bolt, upon 
which the wheel, when working, revolves. The front wheel is a little 




4. DE Cai'X's TKAW I 



more than double the diameter of the other: the\ are further connected 
by a stout iron bar, which runs on either side from one wheel to the 
oilier, being bolted to the hub. A shackle and link for bending the 
trawl foot-rope to is attached to the hub of the small wheel, while a 
large shackle for the towing bridle is secured by a heavy bolt to the 
larger wheel. The wheels are broad iron bands, with four spokes in 
the larger and three in the small one. The special advantages claimed 
for this apparatus are as follows: (1) It goes upon wheels, which roll 
over and are not dragged through the ground : (2) The trawl-beam 
can be carried at any height from the ground. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES l-TSII COMMISSION. 315 

Though the advantages above named are perhaps important ones, 
several trawl-fishermen told the writer that they were opposed to using 
de Gaux's device, because, as they said, " it is too liable to be broken 
in rough weather by slapping against the vessel's side, and it's not an 
easy matter to repair it at sea." 1 




Shepherd's device. 



H. C. W. Shepherd, of Lowestoft, exhibited at London a model of a 
beam-trawl, to each head of which was attached a device — shown in Fig. 
u — for ascertaining when the trawl is bottom upon the ground. It was 
explained to the writer by Mr. Shepherd that the tides between Hol- 
land and the English coast frequently run opposite ways, setting one 
way at the surface and in a different direction at the bottom. This pe- 
culiar action of the currents frequently causes the trawl which a vessel 
is towing to be capsized without (so tar as the fishermen are able to 
tell by the surface water) there being any apparent reason for it. There- 
fore, according to Mr. Shepherd, much valuable time is often lost by 
the fishermen, who, if using tin' ordinary form of trawl-head, are not 
able to tell whether it is upset or not ; the result being that they con- 
tinue to tow it without, of course, catching any fish, and they do not 
learn the gear is inverted until it is hove up. The head of the trawl 
represented by the model above referred to would have the following 
measurements: Greatest diameter from lower after corner to center of 
front (outside to outside), 'J.i feet; height, ground to top of beam end, 
2^ feet: shoe or sole, (> inches by g inch iron; front, -l.\ inches by ', ; inch 
iron; eye to which bridle shackles, '.'> inches long; diameter ot c\ e I hroilgh 
which foot rope passes, 44 inches, 'to tin' upper front side of the head is 
attached, by a key-bolt, d, a movable catch, A, which has a stout, slightly 
curved and pointed upper end. 'the lower part (when the trawl head is 
in its proper position) lies against the front of the head-iron, being 
longer and broader than the other, and also pointed or rounded, so that 
it will dig into the bottom like the fluke of an anchor. The purpose of 

'Mr. Sims, a veteran fisherman and smack- owner of Hull, in discussing the paper 
on trawling read by Mi. Ansel], said be "did no1 sir an\ difference m tin- shape of 
the trawl now from what it was fifty years since, and the only difference was Unit it 
was extended in size." 



316 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION'. 

this is as follows : If the trawl upsets, the point h of the catch, which is 
4 A- inches long, strikes the bottom and turns back, moving on the pin d, 
until il rests against the upper pan of the head iron. This movement 
causes the point e of the device to stand out at right angles with the 
head iron, and as the trawl is dragged along over the ground this point 
sticks into the bottom, and either stops the progress of the vessel or 
causes the apparatus to have a sort of jerky motion, which indicates to 
the fisherman that his -ear is capsized: he therefore proceeds at once 
to gel it into proper position for fishing. 

(e). The Traicl-Net. 

That portion of the apparatus to which the term "trawl" is more 
especially applied is the net. It is formed of several sections, each of 
which has a technical name, there being, however, local differences as 
to the terms applied. 














Fig. 6. 




Fig. 



There are other kinds of trawl-nets, such, for instance, as the otter 
trawl (Figs, ti and 7), which do not have a beam. 



BULLETIN OF THE I SITED STATES OMMISSION. 317 

Holdsworth states thai " the differences between them relate to the 
appliances in use for its effective working rather than to the principle 
of its construction or the - ii i s to be employed. In all 

cases il has the general Conn of a triangular bag or purse, and the vari- 
ations in shape or fittings are due to the different plans adopted for 
insulin- the mouth of the bag being kept open, so that the tish may 
enter whilst the net or bag itself is towed along out of sight at the 
bottom." 

As has been stated, the trawl is triangular iii form, and if one can 
imagine an elongated Hat iron shaped parse h iug on the ground, \\ ith 
the upper pari of its mouth slightly raised and straight and the lower 
part very much hollowed out, so as to form a deep curve, he will have, 
perhaps, a fair idea of a trawl net. The upper surface of the net is 
called the •■ back," and the underneath part, which rests on the ground, 

is termed tl belly." The several sections of which the back and 

belly are composed arc made separately, after which they are joined 
together to form the net, They are known U\ the names of the 
"square," '-baitings" "batings" or " upper," "wings" or "gorings," 
'•belly'' or "ground," and "cod" or "cod-end." The"squarc" is the 
front upper portion of the net ; its straight edge is fastened to the beam, 
and it is usually about one half the length of the whole trawl. The 
section called the "baitings" 1 is also on the upper surface of the trawl, 
and is joined on one side to the square and on the other to tin' cod end. 
The lower part of the trawl corresponding to the square is -'cut away 
in such a manner that the margin forms a deep curve below, extending 
from one trawl head to the other, dose to the ground, and with the 
center of the curve or bosom at some distance behind the beam and 
front of the net. The usual rule for the depth of the curve is that the 
distance from the beam to the bosom should be equal to the length of 
the beam. In French trawls it is very much less. There is, however, 
in all cases a considerable space of ground over which the beam and 
back of the net must pass before the tish lying on the bottom are dis- 
turbed by the under part of the net. The Yarmouth trawlers use a 
beam about 36 feet in length, a nd a much shorter ground rope iii pro 
portion than is employed by the Brixham and Grimsby fishermen; 
there being an idea on their part thai when working in strong tides on 
the Dogger Bauk the large-mouthed nets are liable to close up: a diffi- 
culty, however, which does not appear to have been discovered by the 
fishermen from other ports. 

We were told by the Grimsby fishermen that trawls rigged chiefly lor 
catching soles have loot ropes about four-fifths as long as those for 
general fishiug. 



1 The portion of tin- trawl called the "baitings " bj the Grimsby fishermen is known 

to tli.' trawlers in the south of England as th< " 11-4 t.i statements made 

to the writer by Grimsby smack a, ions which the latter term the 

"belly" an, I "wings" .ire, the, round" ami -" by 
the Brixhaui and Plymouth. <" 



318 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

"Each fisherman has his own fancy as to the fixing of the trawl in 
his own particular way in older to make more or less bosom to the trawl. 

u TI)c uarrow, straight sides of the net between the back and the 
ground rope, and extending from the trawl-heads to nearly on a level 
with the bosom, are called the 'wings' or 'gorings'; they are generally 
made of separate pieces of net, and are inserted when the several parts 
composiug the net are put together." 

The lower portion of the net immediately beneath the baitings, and 
of similar size and shape, is called the belly or ground. 

" From the bosom the whole net, now finning a complete bag. tapers 
to the cod or purse a length equal to about two-thirds of that of the 
beam. The cod is a narrow bag, about one seventh of the entire length 
of the trawl; it is that part of the net into which all the fish which pass 
over the ground rope sooner or later find their way, and in which most 
of them are collected when the net is hauled in. The extremity or 'cod- 
end' is closed by the draw rope or -cod line. '' which gathers the end of 
the net together and prevents the escape of the fish until it is got on 
board, when the rope is east oil', the cod end opened, and the fish fall 
out. The under part of the cod having a good deal of the weight of the 
fish on it. is of course exposed to a great deal of wear and tear as it is 
dragged over the ground: so. to protect ii from chafing and being 
destroyed, old pieces of lie], termed 'rubbing pieces' or 'false bellies,' 
are fastened across it in such a manner as to overlap one another suc- 
cessively from one end of the cod to the other, and thus to relieve the 
strain on the net itself. * * * 

••.lust above the entrance to the cod the 'pockets' are placed, one on 
each side of the interior of the main portion of the net, They are not 
separate parts of the net, hut are made by simply lacing together the 
hack and belly for a length of about lti feet, ilia line from the outer 
edge of the bag downwards and inwards to its small end and the com- 
mencement of the cod. This part of the bag is therefore divided into 
three spaces, and of nearly equal breadth at the lower end, those at the 
sides being the pockets, and the central space that through which the 
fish must pass on their way from the entrance of the net to the cod or 
general receptacle. This passage between the pockets is guarded by 
a veil of netting, called the 'flapper,' fastened to the upper part or back, 
and with its free edge directed towards the cod. so that Hie fish can 
easily make their way under it into that pari of the net, but not so 
readily return. The mouths of the pockets face and open into the cod 
or end of the net where the fish are collected, and there being no means 
of escape for the fish at the cod end. many of them, and especially the 
soles, work their way along the sides of the cod into the pockets, con- 
tinuing their progress in that direction till they are stopped by the 

'This is called tin- " poke-line" by Grimsby fishermen, the term cod-line beiim ap- 
plied to a piece of rope extending from the forward end of the beam to the cod-end. 



Bull U. S. F. C. 1887.— (To face page 318.) 



Plate XII 



No, 

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z ? 

B'3 



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c-i 



2 5 5 






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BULLETIN OF Till; UNITED STATES 1TMI COMMISSION. ."> 1 !l 

gradual narrowing and termination of the long funnel-shaped tuclos 
ures." 1 

The, several sections of the net having been joined together, the front 
edge of the square is hung to a 2.j to 2.\ inch manilla rope, called the 
'•head rope," which is fastened to the beam at each end, and generally 
in three other places at equal distances on the beam. The end of the 
head rope that fastens to the after end of the beam, thai is, the end of 
the beam which is aft when the trawl is on the vessel's rail, has a piece 
of chain 4 or 5 feet long attached to it; this is used to make fast to i in- 
tra wl head; and chain is preferred, since it can not be chafed by the 
dandy bridle. The "foot" of the net— that part which fastens to the 
foot rope — is first hung to a small manilla rope (about 1 ) inches in cir- 
cumference), called tl balch-line," which is a little longer than the. 

foot rope, to which it is seized with marline, the seizings being put on a 

foot apart on the wings and al t half that distance in the " bosom," 

as the middle of the curve formed by the foot rope is called. 

The foot rope is generally made of old towing hawser, which on the 
large smacks from Grimsby is about 74 inches in circumference. This 
is unlaid and laid up the opposite way, so that it will be more flexible. 
It is served or "rounded " from end to end with small rope, say from Li to 
2| inches, this being, like the hawser, partly worn. This rounding is put 
on forthedouble purpose Of (1) increasing the size of the foot rope, and 
thereby making if heavier, so that it will lie close to the bottom, u bile, 
being large, it is easier to drag along without "digging" into the ground; 
and (2) for preventing the chafe to which it otherwise must be exposed. 
The rounding is generally put on by machinery, since it is difficult to 
get it on properly by hand. 

The trawlers that fish principally for sobs generally put a piece of 
chain 15 to 20 feet long in the middle of the foot rope, or else weight it 
with lead, to make it " bite" the ground; otherwise the soles would es- 
cape beneath it, as they lie so close to the bottom — often partially cov- 
ered with sand or mud. When chain is used, it is first wound around 
with old net until it is made as large as the rest of the foot rope, when 
the whole is served with small stuff in the manner already described. 
To each end of the ground rope, and forming part of it, is attached a 
piece of chain, which is long enough to fasten around the trawl-head. In 
the trawling apparatus invented by de Caux the ground rope is lifted 



$25E&GFim*mQ]-. 



I''hi. 8. in: Cai x's loo i Rons. 




with rollers (Fig. 8), which, it is claimed, facilitate its progress over 
the bottom. 



Deep-Sea Fishing, etc., pp. 00-6vJ. 



32<> BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

"The ends of the ground rope arc made fast on each side by a few 
turns round the back of the trawl-head just above the shoe, and the 
rope rests on the ground throughout the entire curve; the fish, there- 
fore, have no chance of escape at either the sides or bosom of the net, 
and their only outlet, when once the beam has passed over them is in 
front, SO that they must dart forward in the direction in which the net 
is moving to enable them to get clear of it. The object of making the 
ground rope of old material is that it may break in case of getting foul 
of rocks or any chance obstruction which may be met with on the gen- 
erally smooth ground, where a trawl can only be worked with advan- 
tage. It in such contingency the ground rope were strong and good, 
the least mischief likely to ensue would be anchoring of the vessel by 
her trawl, involving greal loss of time in clearing it, and resulting prob- 
ably in breaking the beam, and other damage; but as these nets are 
used in deep water, where there is always more or less sea or swell, the 
great danger to be feared when the net gets foul is the parting of the 
warp by which the trawl is towed, and the consequent loss of the whole 
gear. If, however, the ground rope give way, the onlj damage likely 
to result is in the under part of the net behind it being torn open: the 
whole apparatus then comes away clear, when it can be hoisted up 
overhauled, and the netting and rope repaired. It was formerly the 
custom to weight the ground rope to insure its close working over the 
bottom, and it is still sometimes the practice at Yarmouth to use short 
lengths of cli, tin for that purpose, secured at each end by rope-yarns to 
the ground rope, so as to be easily torn away in case of getting foul. 
The French trawlers also use chain on the ground rope, but in those 
we have examined a great length of chain has been suspended in short 
festoons and secured by iron rings over the rope, and therefore not 
easily detached. Our west country fishermen find that by givinga large 
sweep to the ground rope an old hawser is heavy enough without other 
addition than the small rope with which it is covered or rounded.** 1 

The cod-end of a trawl-net (at least such as are used on the large 
smacks from Grimsby) is made of double twine, and the meshes are 
smaller than in the other sections of the apparatus, which are made of 
single twine. Four sizes of meshes are used in the large trawl nets, in- 
creasing from 1A inches at the cod end to 1 inches in the back, while 
the underneath part of the net is generally made of twine a size larger 
than is used for the back. 2 

The material used in the construction of the net is small manilla stuff 
about the size of marline, and essentially the same as the •• lobster t wine " 
that New England fishermen emploj for a number of purposes. The 
nets are coated with coal tar. 

A piece of old rope, say LM to •'! inches in size, called the "cod-line" 
by the Grimsby fishermen, somewhat longer than the trawl, and having 

I leep-Sea Fisbiug, etc., pp. 59 

" The size mesh of the trawl," writes Ansell, " is much smaller as we ^o south of 
Yarmouth. About Hull the mesh is about :!•. inches square down to H inches." 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 321 

an eye-splice in one end, is used to haul up the cod-end when it is 
heavily weighted with fish, or when, as sometimes happens, it contains 
stones of considerable size. When either of these contingencies occur 
it is difficult, especially in rough weather, to pull the net over the 
smack's side with a heavy weight in the cod-end dragging down. One 
end of the cod-line is secured to the lower end of the net by the '• poke- 
tine" with which the cod is tied up, while its other end makes fast to 
the forward trawl-head. 



(<l). The Trawl War,, and Bridles. 

The trawl is operated or towed over the bottom by what is called a 
"trawl-warp" (A, in Fig. 9), usually a 6 to 1), inch hemp or tarred ma- 
nilla hawser 150 fathoms long, two strings of 75 
fathoms each being spliced together to form it. One 
end of this, in which is an eye-splice and thimble 
(E, Fig. !)), is shackled to two other pieces of smaller 
hawser, termed the " bridles" or "spans" (F, Fig. 
9), each of which is 15 to 20 fathoms long. These 
lead one to either side of the trawl's mouth, where 
they are shackled to the swivel eye-bolts in front 
of the trawl-heads. 

A smaller but somewhat longer rope, having a 
piece of chain at its lower end, is called the "dandy 
bridle" (I), Fig. 9). This is made fast permanently 
to that end of the beam which comes aft when it is 
taken on the rail, three or four turns of the chain 
on its end being taken around the beam ; the ex- 
treme end is shackled to the trawl-head or to the 
standiug part of the bridle. The other end is 
secured to the trawl-warp just above where the. 
bridles shackle on, by a- half-hitch (0), with the end 
stopped back (J!, Fig. !)). 
The dandy bridle is used for convenience in heav- 
ing up and securing the after end of the beam to the stern of the vessel, 
its use preventing the necessity of rigging a derrick, as otherwise it 
is usually necessary to do. At present, however, the dandy bridle 
is quite generally adopted on the larger class of vessels. 




(c). Dimensions and Method »f Construction. 

As a matter of interest, in this connection 1 give detailed measure. 
ments of the trawls of two Grimsby smacks, the Willie <in<l Ada, of 73.0s 
tons, and the Sobriety, of 75.29 tons. 
Bull. U. S. F. C, 87 21 



322 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The following are the dimensions of the trawl of the Willie and Ada : 

Length of beam feet . . 46 

Diameter of beam inches.. 8 

Weight of heads, each pounds.. 180 

Heigln of heads from ground feet.. I 

Breadth across widest part feet.. 2] '1 

Width of iron inches.. 4 

Thickness of iron inch.. 

Font rope, length feet - 98 

Foot rope, size inches.. 7 J 

Length of chain on each end of foot rope feet.. 6 

Size of rope with which foot rope is served inches . 2i 

Size of head rope inches.. -.'J 

Length of head rope, including chain at one end and allowing enough to make 

fast at each end feet .. 52 

Length of balch-line, including 9 feet at each end to reach from the foot rope to 

beam and fasten feet.. 126 

Whole length of trawl-net from beam to end feet - 1 

Length of square from beam to baitings feel 12 

Length of bailings and belly, each feet .. 30 

Length of cod-end feet.. 12 

Width of opening at lower part id' cod-end feel .. I 

Length of" poke-line " used for tying up cod-end feet .. 15 

Size of " poke-line," (manilla rope) inch.. -2i 

Length of " cod-line." i a rope leading from the low er nan of the net to the for- 
ward end of t he beam, gi nerally old rope, and used for haul inn the bott 

the net alongside when it is full offish). feet .. 96 

Length of towing hawsei n fathoms.. 150 

Length of dandy bridle, not including chain on end fathoms.. -.'I 

Length of chain on end of dandy bridle feet .. 9 

Length of forward and after bridles (6-inch hawser), each fathoms.. 20 

The measurements of the trawl on board of the cutler Sobriety coin- ' 
pared very nearly with the above, the principal difference being in beam, 
fool rope, and weighl of the heads, the height of the latter being the 
same. The following will show the differences: 

Length of beam feet.. 48 

Diameter of beam inches.. 9 

Length of foot rope feet.. 94 

Length of balch-line feet.. 132 

Weighl of trawl-head-, each pounds.. 230 

The following are additional details of the construction and equip- 
ment of a beam-trawl of the size mentioned above : 

In making the net, from 200 to 220 meshes are -sot up" for the lend 
of the "square," and from L90 to 200 meshes at the bottom. The 
baitings or " batings," which are joined to the square, are "set up" with 
the same number of meshes as the bottom of the square, either 190 or 
200, and are "braided down" to 50 meshes, with 10 or 12 feet cod-end 
added. 

The "ground" or "belly " is made the same as the baitings. 

The wings would be about 13 feet long. They would lie •• set up" at 



BULLETIN OF Till UNITED STATES FISH COMM1 323 

190 to 200 meshes, according to Olsen, with r,r, i„ each wing. The 
remaining meshes form the bosom, and are braided down to 30 at the 

ends. 1 

The "flapper" should be " set up" at 40 meshes, and tapered to 20 
meshes al its end. This, as has been explained, is fastened to the back 
of the trawl-net, and so arranged by lacing it in a line with the pockets 
that it will drop down ami close the entrance to the cod-end when Hie 
apparatus is not moving through the water. 

Olsen gives the followiug directions for putting together the several 
sections of a trawl net and preparing it to bend to the beam and heads; 

"I would first count the meshes in the lower part of the square and 
upper part of the batiugs; if they correspond, join them together. 
Next, I would count the meshes in the belly and wings, a them 

together; then 1 would stretch the net a Ion- the deck, will, the cod- 
end aft, and put the lower batiugs of hack and belly together, make 
fast to a. spar lashed across the deck, pull taut both belly ami batings, 
and make them fast forward, then lace the trawl from the lower end 
upwards. Now I would stretch the wings and square forward, and 
lace from the head downward. 

"I would [then] take the turns out of the balch-line, then balch the 
wings by finding the middle mesh of the bosom or center of the wings 

and clove-hitch them onto the balch-line, so as t alee the spaces a 

little larger than the mesh. I next stretch the ground rope along the 
deck and take the turns out, lay the bight aft and the ends forward, 
measure it and tie the center mesh of the wings, then lash the highf of 
the ground rope, set up taut with a tackle from forward, and keep the 
ground rope up from the deck by placing a spar across the deck. Now 

1 would measure the bosom and tie up to the quarter, pull up the 
square from quarter to head, allowing 3 or 1 feet for shrinking, tie up 
the balch-line and complete the roping." 

To put in the flapper and pockets he would. join the former "on at 80 
meshes under the back, lace the salvage to the belly— the Happer being 
40 meshes, leaves 20 meshes on each side of the salvage— then I would 
lace up the pockets in a line with the flapper." 2 

The lower part of the cod-end must then be, provided with ■•chaf- 
ers'' — pieces of old net, or some other material, lashed on to prevent the 
bottom of the trawl from being too quickly worn out by chafing ou 
the ground. 

For rigging up the beam, bridles, etc., 6 iron wedges are required for 
wedging the ends of the. beam into the trawl-heads; 2 trawl-warp and 
4 bridle-thimbles: 1 dandy-chain shackle, 2 main-bridle shackles, and 

2 trawl- warp shackles. 

Various devices have been invented, besides those already men- 
tioned, for improving the beam-trawl ; most of these, however, being for 
the purpose of allowing small fish to escape from the cod-end. Among 
1 Fisherman's Seamanship, p. 28. 



,')2-4 BULLETIN Or THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

other advantages claimed by de Caux for improvements were the fol- 
lowing : 

1. Iuside the trawl-net a smaller net is fixed so as to form a funnel to 
prevent the escape of large fishes. 

2. The cod-end of the net is made so that when fishing the meshes 
are kept widely open to allow small fishes to escape therefrom. 

:i. At pleasure the net can be disconnected from the trawl-beam and 
the wheels at the bottom of the sea, and can be shut up and brought 
to the surface separately from them. 

Whatever practical value these improvements have 1 am not pre- 
pared to say ; the fact remains, however, that the common form of trawl 
is still almost exclusn ely in use. ( >ne inventor has an arrangement of 
frames, flat on the bottom and curved on top, over which the cod end 
is drawn in such a way that the meshes are Kept distended. Another 
proposes to accomplish the same result — namely; to allow the small 
fish to escape — by having a number of rubber grominets put here and 
there iii the cod-end, these being sufficiently large to permit the small 
fry to pass through; and still another dev ice consists in having the cod- 
end distended with larger hoops, the mesh much enlarged, and the 
lower part provided with an apron to prevent chafe on the bottom. 

2. Apparatus for Operating the Trawl. 

In order that the manipulation of the beam-trawl may be more fullj 
and (dearly understood, it seems desirable that the various kinds of ap 




I. AX EARLY I . LPSTAX 



paratus which have been devised especially for the purpose of handling 
it should be described inconsiderable detail. Though these form a por- 
tion of the vessel's equipment, and have been alluded to in a general 
way in that connection, still the various implements used in working a 



Bull U S F C 1887 —(To I 



Plate XIII. 






CD 
O 





BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES ll.-ll commission. 325 

beam-trawl are almost as much a part of the apparatus as the trawl it- 
self, and the successful prosecution of the fishery lias, perhaps, been more 
dependent upon improved appliances for manipulating the gear than 
on anything else. The descriptions which follow are based chiefly on a 
study of the two Grimsby siuacks upon which 1 sailed and which sub- 
sequent investigation has shown to be fair representatives of their class. 

(a). Tin Capstan. 

Several forms of hand-power capstans have been used for working 
the beam-trawl. The increase in the size of the vessels and fishing ap- 
paratus has not, as a rule, been followed by an increase in the number 
of men constituting a smack's crew, and as, of course, greater power is 
required to heave up the large trawls now in use, this has to he supplied 
by improved capstans, which are so constructed by a system of cog- 
wheels and ratchets (see Fig. 11), that as many as four different purchases 
can be obtained on some of them, the first being a very quick motion 
for pulling in slack warp ; the fourth, a slow but most powerful one tor 
a very heavy pull, while the others are intermediate ; various degrees of 
power and quickness being thus combined in the same implement. 




l:< >VED CAPSTAN. 



The necessity which exists for having increased facilities to raise the 
trawl from the bottom has led to the introduction, of late, of steam as a 
motive power for working the capstan, which is generally so made that 
it can be worked b\ hand as well, in case anything should make it im- 
practicable to use steam. A vertical boiler and vertical engine are most 
commonly, if not exclusively, used, and the whole is made as simple as 
possible, in order that it maybe managed by the fishermen with very little 
trouble. (See Plate XIII.) Steam capstans were first used on sailing 
trawlers in 18G4, when the firm of Fowler ..V Met lollin, of Hull, fitted one 



326 BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

on tlie smack Monarch. This firm was succeeded by the Vulcan Iron 
Works Company, Limited, which company, according to Mr. Charles 
Hellyer, a smack-owner of that place, now manufacture the most ap- 
proved form of apparatus of this kind. This arrangement consists of a 
vertical steam-engine, fitted with two cylinders, each 4.} inches diam- 
eter. 8-iuch stroke, fixed on a strong standard, independent of the 
boiler, and equipped with patent high-speed governor and throttle- 
valve. improved stop-valve, treble-valve, force-pump, etc. The boiler 
is vertical also, with cross-tubes in the lire-box. lagged and eased, and 
pro\ ided with a full set of mountings and fittings, consisting of double 
safety-valve, steam pressure-gauge, two water gauges, blow-oil cock. 
chimney, and deck casing. The gearing consists of horizontal and ver- 
tical shafting, with tin; necessary foot-step and bearing, friction-clutch, 
bevel-wheel and pinion, ami spur-pinion working into spur ring wheel 
On capstan bottom. The friction apparatus is so arranged thai it can 
readily be thrown in and oul of gear by means of a lever on deck or in 
companion. 

Mr. George ii. Dunell gives the following additional particulars, in 
(London) Eugiueering, July 27. 1883, concerning the use of steam on 
trawling smacks : 

"Steam gear is fitted on most vessels of this kind for the purpose of 
handling the heavy trawl used in modern times. The machinery on 
the Frank Jincklaml consists of a vertical boiler ami a pair of inverted 
vertical non-condensing engiues. 1 'flu- boilers generally used for this 
purpose tire from 2 feel 9 inches to :i feet in diameter and «» A to 7A feet 
high. They have only one or two cross- tubes, all parts having to be as 
simple and accessible as possible, for frequently the attendance is not 
that of a highly-skilled operator, although some smacks carry a prop- 
erly trained engineer attendant. The diameter of the cylinders is 5 to 
t> inches ami the stroke about lu to 12 inches; the steam pressure 
ranges between 50 and 65 pounds. The [nice of such tin engine and 
boiler complete (but exclusive of water-tank) is from £125 to Clio. 
Most of the trawlers catty a tank for fresh water holding 800 to 1.200 
gallons, but Mr. Alward thinks this tin unnecessary refinement. Prob- 
ably, with a properly-instructed and careful engineer on board, who 
will 'blow oil" at intervals, and considering the simple nature of the 
boilers, salt water would answer ver\ well for feed, and the room that 
would be occupied by the fresh-wate r tanks could be better utilized." 

(b). Tin Dandy Winch <>r Wink. 

Ilohlsworth has described the •' dandy wink " as " being shipped be- 
tween the head of tiie companion and the bulwark." ami this descrip- 
ii 10 doubt applied well enough to the Plymouth and Brixham trawl- 
ers at the time he wrote. 

On the larger ketch-rigged vessels it is placed some 10 or 12 feet aft 

e model of this sniacl liibited al tin- International Fisheries Exbibi- 

\1". ard A Eskritt, "t' Grimsbj . 



Bull. (J S. F C. 18 



' 



Plate XIV. 




BULLETIN OF TDK UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 327 



of the companion, and generally almost, directly abreast of the mizzen- 
mast. A strong bitt-head, firmly secured to the deck by a knee on its 
after side — similar in shape to an ordinary windlass hilt — serves as a, 
support for one cud of the dandy wink, and the gearing by which it is 
worked, while an iron spindle in the opposite end Ids into a socket on 
the rail, to which is also secured a dog or pawl which, dropping into an 
iron ratchet on the end of the wink, prevents the latter from turning 
back. (See Fig. 12.) The arrangement of cog-wheel work on this winch 








Fig. VI. The Dandy Wink 

is such that two purchases can be obtained, one giving a rapid motion 
to the barred of the winch, and the other, but more powerful purchase, 
turning it slower. It has already been explained that this is used to 
heave up the after end of the beam by means of the dandy bridle. 

(c). The Forward Winch. 

Another winch, which is used in handling the trawl, stands about half 
way between the windlass and mainmast on the larger ketch -rigged 
trawlers. This is worked, like the others, with a, crank — one on each 
end if necessary. It is supported by two bitts, which are from '■'>.[ to 1 
Xeet high. On the starboard end is a, large cog-wheel, into which plays 
a smaller cog-wheel on a shaft that is secured to the forward side of 
the bitts. If only a small power is required the wheels are uncoupled 
and the crank shipped on the shaft to which the power is to lie applied. 

(d). The Dummy, 

Some t or ."> feet forward of the companion, and almost exactly in the 
center of the deck — either way — stands a, large round post, some ■'! feet 
high, called a "dummy." (See Fig. 13.) This has four or more " whelps" 
on it, and the trawl-warp is veered around if when the trawl is being 
shot, and to this stanchion, too. the warp is fastened while the gear is out 
and being towed over the ground. 

(e). The Trawl- Warp Roller. 

Fixed between two stanchions, on the port side of a trawler, and di- 
rectly abreast of the capstan, is a large iron roller (see Fig. l 1 1 for the 
trawl-warp to pass over when it is being hove in This is provided with 



328 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



ratchets on the forward cud, into wbicb a pawl falls to prevent its turn- 
ing back. 




Tbe trawl roller of a vessel of 70 to 7.") tons will be 1-H incbes long, 
1! inches diameter at tbe ends, 7 incbes diameter in tbe center. The 
rail is fixed so that it will turn back on a binge, and a piece of bulwark 
is made t<> lit in snugly over the roller when it is not in use. but is, of 
course, removed wbenever the trawl-warp is hove in. (Sec Fig. 15.) 




Fig. 11. Trawl-Warp Roller. 




In.. 15. Roller in use. 



On tho single-masted trawlers at Brixbam and Plymouth tbe trawl-warp 
roller, which is much shorter, is placed on the port side of the stem- 
head. 

Dandy Bridle Chock. 




J \\^W 



Fig. LG. 



A large iron chock, with a roller fitted into it (see Fig. 16), is secured 
to the port side of the taffrail. When theafterend of the trawl is being 



BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH Commission. 329 

hove up the dandy bridle is taken in through this chock and thence to 
the dandy winch. 

(g). Fish Tackle. 

A heavy purchase tackle is used for hoisting in the cod-end of the 
trawl. The upper block of this tackle is usually threefold, and hooks 
somewhere about the mainmast head or beneath the cross-trees; the 
lower block is double or treble; the fall is LU to 2| inch manilla rope. 
When the lower block has been hooked into the strap that is put around 
the cod end, the end of the fish tackle fall is usually rove through a 
snatch block hooked near the toot of the mainmast, ami taken thence 
to the forward winch. 

:i. Apparatus for Packing Fish, etc. 




Fig. 17. 
(«). Fish Boxes. 

All of the trawlers which flush in fleets in the North Sea use oblong 
wooden boxes, generally called " trunks" (see Fig. 17), to pack their fish 
in. These are of uniform si/.e, and hold from S5 to 95 pounds of fish, the 
difference in weight depending chiefly on the kind of fish ; some species 
of flat fish— the sole, for instance— pack very closely, and consequently 
weigh more than a box of haddock or cod. The boxes are partly cov- 
ered by a strip of board nailed on each side of the top, while an oblong- 
hole, large enough for a man to get his hand in, is cut near the upper 
edge of each end. In handling /he boxes after they are tilled these 
holes are very convenient, as they afford a handhold, and they an- also 
of service for reeving through the line which runs from end to end of 
a box to hold the fish in position. 

The Brixham trawlers, who carry their fish to market every day, or 
perhaps twice a day, use small baskets, called " pads" and " half- pads." 

Holdsworth says: "The packages in which the trawl-tish are stored 
have lost much of their significance as denoting any particular capacity. 
Pads and half-pads were once recognized measures, and are still spoken 
of in some of the markets, although the quantity of fish contained in 
them is rather uncertain. Ten years ago | about 1S64] they were the 
only packages used by the Hull and Grimsby trawlers. The 'pad' con- 
sisted of three 'pots,' aud the 'half-pad' of two pots of fish. This divis- 
ion of a package into three or two imaginary parts called 'pots. - was 
for the convenience of the salesman and buyers; for instance, if two 
pads and three half-pads were to be sold, they were offered as twelve 



330 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

pots; fish were said to be worth so much per pot one day, and so much 
another day. This measurement was also found very convenient by 
the fisherman, as in case they had not enough prime fish at the end of 
their packing to fill a half-pad they still put it into a half-pad basket 
and called it a pot. At one time pot baskets were used, but they have 
been long given up. Formerly speculative dealers used to bargain with 
some of the fishermen to take all their prime fish at so much per pot. 
and then a pot was to weigh 4(1 pounds; but a half-pad (two pots) sub- 
sequently came to weigh from 80 to 120 pounds, the difference being 
caused by the lish being more or less piled up on the top of the basket. 
A further change was made by the introduction of wooden boxes called 
'trunks.' and they were used especially for the package of soles, a trunk 
or box of soles usually containing from sixty to seventy pairs, weighing 
about 10b pounds.' Plaice and haddocks are also packed in them, 
about forty of the latter, when .sold for the fresh market, going to the 
•box.'" 




Fig. I-. 



(b). Tee .1////. 



Most of the North Sea trawling vessels, especially those which go 
■• single boating" a portion of the year, carry an ice mill which is used 
for grinding up the ice that the lish are packed in. This mill is gener- 
ally secured to a bulkhead in the icehouse below deck. It has three 
revolving barrels fitted with strong steel teeth and is operated by a 
crank-wheel, which, by a system of connectii>g cog-wheels, causes the 



'The more general adoption of the wooden box called tin trunk," as a package 
for all kinds of tish on trawlers, is prohably due to tin- system of " fleeting," since 
these l«>\es are more readily handled and stowed than baskets could lie under like 
conditions. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. ."..".1 

barrels inside to turn in such a way that the ice is broken or picked up 
fine enough for use. 

Boats. 




Fie. 19. — A trawler's boat. 

The boat (see Fig. 19) used on the trawlers for transporting the fish 
from the catcher to the carrier is an open, clinker built, keel craft, wide, 
and rather clumsy looking, with full rounding bow ami heavy square 
stern. It is strongly built, and has a large carrying capacity. The 
boats carried on the larger trawlers are about 17 feet long, ii.\ to 7 feet 
wide, and 2 feet 9 inches deep. 

The dangerous work performed by these boats is detailed elsewhere, 
but it may be said here that, because they arc frequently capsized ami 
the men in them drowned, an effort has been made to provide them 
with some kind of suitable appliance which may lender them unsiuk- 
able and insure the greater safety of their crews. .Many devices for 
attaining this much-desired end were shown at the London Fisheries 
Exhibition, in 1883, but none of them met with the full approval of the 
examining jury. 

(</;>. 1)0,1,11, Net or Diddle Net. 



A dip-net, called a " doddle "'or" diddle " net, tonus part of the equip- 
ment of a trawler, and is used to dip lish out of the trawl when an un- 
usually large catch has been made and the weight of lish in the net 
is too heavy to hoist in. At such times a hole is cut in the back of the 
trawl ami enough lish removed with the dip-net to lighten it; on some 
extraordinary occasion perhaps two or more holes Lave to be made in 
the net. The doddle net resembles the dip-net used by the New Eng- 
land mackerel seiners, though it is not quite so large as the latter. 



332 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

c;. Methods of Fishing. 

1. General Description op the use of a Beam-Trawl. 

To obtain thegreatesl success in trawling one condition is especially 
desirable — that of having a moderately strong and favorable tide, since 
the trawl is always towed as nearly as practicable with the set of the 
current, but somewhat faster, as it will then work to the best advant- 
age, being easily kept on the bottom over which it passes steadily. 
This is necessary, for the net being lighter than the beam (loaded as 
the latter is with the iron heads), would otherwise lie liable to drift, 
forwards and thus prevent the entrance of fish. A moderate excess 
of speed in the trawl over the tide, varying according to the strength 
nl the wind from half a knot to about a knot and a half per hour, keeps 
the net expanded ami in a proper position on the bottom, so that the 
best results can be secured. ' 

It is. perhaps, most desirable to have the tide setting nearly at right 
angles to the wind, since then the trawl can be towed equallj well on 
either tack as the set of the current changes with the ebb or Hood. 
As, however, the tides run as frequently to leeward, or to windward, as 
in any other way, much care and skill is necessary to work the trawl 
to the best advantage, so that it will keep the ground, will pass over the 
bottom as fast as is necessary, and also not be upset. It may lie ex- 
plained here that, with a weather tide, tin' vessel is (or should be) put 
on whichever tack will permit her to tow the trawl as nearly as possible 
in the direction the current is going, and the best authorities say the 
warp should be kept well aft. If working with a lee tide, considerable 
care is necessary to prevent the vessel from broaching to so that she 
will "run the tide," in which event she would be likelj to upset the 
trawl. 

'•When a vessel has arrived on her fishing ground," according to 
llohlsworth, •• the first part of the tide is chosen for beginning work in, 
as she can then tow for several hours in the same direct ion. and the 
usual practice is to keep the trawl down till the tide is done — about 
li\ e or six hours." 

This is doubtless correct, in a general sense, but in these days of 
Sharp competition then' are probably lew skippers who will not put 
out their gear at half tide if they have reached a favorite fishing ground 
and the conditions are favorable tor trawling. 

When the ground is reached the vessel's head is laid in the direction 
in which she is going to tow — this, as has been explained, depending on 
the direction of the current : but, whet her on the port or starboard tack, 
she lays up by the wind, or nearly so (say within ."i or G points), at least 
until the trawl is shot. After the trawl is out she maybe kept oil', 

nearly before the wind, but as a rule, especially with derate breezes, 

the vessel's course is laid nearly at righl angles to the wind, so that it 

Si.- Plate i\ . 



Bull U S F C 188) —(To I 



Plate XV. 




Towing a Beam-trawl. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 333 

may exert its fullest force on the sails, [f the wind is moderate all sail 
is kept on the vessel, but if il blows fresh or strong the canvas is re- 
duced so that the smack will go aloug easily without unnecessary plung- 
ing or heeling over. 

"What the trawlers like," writes EToldsworth, "is a fresh, steady 
breeze— one that would enable them to do 8 or 'J knots off the wind 
when the trawl is not overboard. They can then afford to lose <; or 7 

knots by the resistance of the net. and vet move fast ei gh to enable 

it to do its work properly. Winter is the great trawling tunc, because 

then there is pretty sure to lie plenty of wind, and, if to ■!,, sail ran 

always be reduced; but unfortunately strong winds are accompanied 
by a good deal of sea, and when that is the case, although a great deal 
of extra warp be allowed in order to equalize the strain and prevent 
jerking, it is difficult to keep the trawl steadily moving over the ground. 
There is always danger in such eases of breaking the warp, and almost 
a certainty of doing so and of losing the whole -ear if the net should 
then get foul; and, besides this, the difficulty of heaving up the trawl 
is greatly increased, two or three hours are often spent in the operation, 

and the fish are liable to be killed and very much knocked al I before 

they can be got on board. All of these circumstances combine in in- 
duce the fishermen to wait for more moderate weather, it may be for 
only a. day or two, or perhaps more, but in any case the supply of lish 
sent to market is lessened for the time, the weather which puts a stop 
to the work of one vessel having probably the same effect on most of 
those fishing in the same district. The Plymouth trawlers are espec 
ially subject to loss of time from bad weather in winter, as at thai sea- 
son southwesterly winds prevail at the mouth of the channel, and there 

is UOUil ily a good deal of sea setting in over their very limited fishing 

ground, only a few miles from the land. AIll — 1 1 they can and do 

work when it blows very fresh, a succession of heavy gales almost puts 
a stop to trawling there, and the supply of fish landed at Plymouth 
fluctuates more than on any other part of the coast." 

-'. Shooting \ Trawl from the Port Side. 

If a vessel has just arrived on the ground the bridles are first taken 
up from the hold— where they are slowed with the towing hawser when 
not in use'— and shackled to the trawl-heads and then coiled down 
on deck, "the fore bridle forward and the after bridle just before the 

dandy winch." The end of the towing warp is then taken up. Iw • 

three tiirnsare thrown around the "dm y"_the inside or leading part 

of the warp being on top— and then the bridles are shackled to it. and 
their coils arranged to run clear. The dandy bridle is next run off the 
winch, the end passed outside the ini/zen rigging, and bent to the towing 
hawser, just above where the other bridles are shackled on, with ahalf- 

■Wlicn the vessel is or, Hie ground and engaged every da.N . or nlmosl every .lay, in 
fishing the bridles are rarely, if ever, unshackled from Ho- tra« I tiead i. 



334 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

clove hitch, the end being stopped back with a small rope. In tlie mean 
time (or previously), the cod-end is tied up with the " poke-line," one 
end of which is taken through the eye-splice in the lower end of the 
lung '-cod-line," which reaches to the beam. The trawl is now all ready 
to lie shot, and the beam lies stretched along the port side of the ves- 
sel, resting on or against the rail, from the taffrail nearly to the main 
rigging, with the net piled loosely over it, the forward trawl-head rest- 
ing on deck and held in place by a stopper, while the after trawl head, 
which is outside the stern, is held by two short ropes, called "canting 
lines," and which serve the several purposes of supporting the after 
end of the trawl when the dandy bridle has been slackened oil. securing 
and holding firmly in place the trawl-head, and also for " canting" the 
apparatus when it is being shot. 

All hands are required to shoot a trawl. 

••If on the port tack," writes Olsen, " the captain on the quarter deck 
gives his orders, looks to sec the trawl all clear over the side, attends 
the alter stopper, and squares the gear. The mate and third hand amid- 
ships, stream the trawl, and afterwards veer the gear away. The fourth 
hand stands by to let go the fore head, and the cook takes the helm." 1 

The following are the details of shooting a trawl as observed by the 
writer: 

When all are ready, the lashing is taken off the forward trawl-head, 
the captain casts oil' the canting lines and holds them in his hands with 
a single turn around a cleat or stern timber. The '-cod" is now thrown 
out. followed by the rest of the net. until the whole is clear of the side 
and trailing out from the beam; which still remains in its place. The 
time having now arrived, the trawl is lowered, and considerable skill 
is required to do this properly, for, simple though it may seem, much 
care must be exercised to insure the landing of the net and beam on the 
bottom in the righl position, namely : With the ground rope below, and 
the beam upwards resting on the Irawl-heads, the mouth of the appar- 
atus being distended. Unless the lowering is skillfully performed the 
trawl may strike the bottom on its back, which would result in its mouth 
being closed ; therefore no fish could be taken. After the forward head 
and end of the beam are thrown out. the captain slacks away a little on 
the canting lines, until the after end of the beam is nearly to the water, 
but he does not let go of them until the forward end of the beam swings 
off from the vessel's side at an angle of about forty-five degrees, being 
slacked away gradually by the fore bridle. When the beam is two or 
three fathoms astern of the smack, the fore bridle a ud dandy bridle are 
usually checked, in order that the skipper may see that the trawl is all 
right. As soon as the bridles are out the gear is again stopped from 
running to ascertain if the bridles lead clear, and a good full is given 
the vessel, so that she may start ahead and straighten the trawl.- Oue 

1 Fisherman'.-. Seamanship, i>. 30. 

2 According to HoMsworth the Brixhain Bshermen do not bend on the dandy bridle 
to the towing warp before throwing over the trawl, though, so far a^ 1 could learn, 



BULLETIN OF MIL UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 335 

man is stationed at the dummy holding one cud of a rope nipper, which 
is around the towing warp (see Pig. I.">. page 328), the running of the lat- 
ter being controlled by this nipper in accordance with the captain's 
orders. When 20 fathoms or thereabouts of the warp have run out, il is 
cheeked, and this is repeated every little while to straighten out the 
hawser and pull the trawl into shape, until sufficient scope is out ; the 
amount of warp paid away after the gear is on the ground is determined 
by the skipper, who uses his judgment as to what is required for vari- 
ous conditions of current, weather, depth of water, and the kind of tish 
that are sought, It is evident that if he allowed the trawl to sink straight 
down, which would be the ease if it was not occasionally stopped, while 
the vessel moved ahead, to straighten the warp, it would be liable to 
turn around in the water, in which ease it would be somewhat a matter 
of "luck," whether the net struck the ground on its back or otherwise. 
It sometimes happens that such a mistake is made, even when the ut- 
most precautions are taken. When this happens the irregular jerking 
of the warp as the trawl is pulled over the ground shows something is 
wrong, and, of course, nothing can be done but to get up the gear and 
shoot it properly. 

If, however, the .year is upset in shooting, it can usually be turned 
back again, if the trawl has not sunk too far. 

"To do this," writes Olsen, " I would lash the helm alee, haul down 
the foresail, take the dandy bridle forward over the bow, heave in on 
it, and east the gear back again.'' 

If the trawl seems to be workingall right the towing hawser is finally 
made last with a "trawl-rope stopper," a 2fincb tuanilla rope, about 
5 fathoms long, the bight of which is secured to a stout ropecollarou the 
lower part of the dummy. The ends of this rope are wound around 
the trawl- warp in opposite directions, over and under, so as to cross and 
overlap at each turn, which is the ordinary way of putting on a rope 
Stopper, and one end is fastened to the hawser with a piece of small rope, 
called a "nettle." (See Fig. 1.'!, page 328.) When this is done the rope 
nipper behind the dummy is cast oil', and the turns of the trawl-warp 
slackened up— sometimes they are taken off the dummy altogether— so 
that the strain all comes on the stopper. The purpose of the stopper is 
to save the warp in case the trawl catches on the bottom; for being a 

this is invariably done by the Hull and Grimsby men. Ii the shooting of 

a trawl he says : "The lowering is thus managed: The fore bridle is first sla 
awa> until that end .if the beam is well clear and stands out at a considerable angle 
from the vessel, the after part being still kepi in place lij the dandy bridle, whirl, 
conies in nvcr tin- taffrail to the small stem windlass or dandy wink bj which it is 
worked. This rope is then slacked away till the who iter, and the 

ii i' end of the rope is brought forward to lie made fast to the warp, just above the 

shackle, till it is again wanted, when the beam has to lie Inn-ted tip. The beam is 
new held by the two parts, if the main bridle, and they are slowly paid out till it 
banes evenly from them : if the whole gear l>e then in proper position more waj is 
got on the vessel and the warp give if so as to allow the traw 1 to sink to the bot- 
tom, which, as the vessel is under way, n will do at ..■ uce astern." 



336 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

small rope, and generally one considerably worn, it would, under anj 
sudden strain, break before the hawser, and the trawl would not be lost 
When this happens, more warp is paid out, and the vessel is steered in 
a direction which may, perhaps, clear the obstruction. If this is not 
accomplished, the next thing to be done is to try and heave up the ap- 
paratus. As the warp becomes nearly perpendicular, and the strain 
increases, the trawl generally comes away clear, frequently with only 
the net damaged, though the fishermen are not always so fortunate. 

In winter a '• hawse" is used instead of a trawl-rope Stopper. This 
device is made of a piece of old towing hawser that is not good enough 
for towing. It is L9 or 20 feel long with an eye splice at each end, and 
well parceled to prevent it from chafing on the rail. The inner end is 
shackled to a chain collar on the dummy and the other is fastened in 
the usual manner to the towing hawser and readies just outside the 
rail. The '-hawse" is used to save the towing rope from chafing on 
the rail. When towing a trawl, with strong winds, the warp is taken 
off the dummy, and thebighl carried forward and stoppered to the fore- 
stay witli a good piece of rope, and turns are put on the capstan ready 
for heaving. The bight is also supported along the rail with rope 
yarn. These precautions are taken to clear any vessel that may be seen 
to leeward, by coming in stays, which the smack will do at once if the 
stopper holding the "hawse" is cast off. They are also necessary to pre- 
vent the loss of the trawl when the latter comes afoul of rough ground 
or any object on the bottom, such as a wreck, anchor, etc. The "hawse" 
will part under a sudden heavy strain, and it can. of course, be cut if it 
can not be otherwise cleared soon enough ; the vessel then swings at 
once head to the wind. 

Alter being stopped the trawl-rope is parceled where it comes across 
the rail : it is then pushed into the proper place, where it is held by 
stout hard-wood pins which are stuck in holes bored in the rail. It may- 
be explained here that on top Of the main rail is fastened a false rail, 
Ik inches thick, to take the chafe of the towing hawser, and through 
both of these rails are bored 14-inch holes. IS inches apart, near the after 
end, where the warp usually cones, and 2£ feet apart farther forward. 
The position of the trawl-warp on the rail depends on how the captain 
wants ro keep the vessel's head. If. for any reason, it is desirable to 
keep her nearly before the wind the warp is shoved aft to the mizzen 
rigging, while if she lays oil' too broad, the hawser is put farther forward 
and a pin stuck in the rail abaft of it. Sometimes it is necessary to 
take the warp to the capstan, which is several feet forward of the 
dummy, but, generally, the vessel will lay near enough the wind with- 
out doing this. 

When the trawl is out. the tiller is allowed to swing, the sheets are 
eased off a little, and, as a rule, the towing hawser is placed so that the 
smack will head a point or two free from the wind. The amount of sail 
set, when towing the gear, as has been stated, depends on the strength 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH commission. 337 

of the wind. The trawlers are all provided with large light sails for use 
in moderate weather, as well as n large .jib and stay foresail, the latter 
sheeting well aft of the mainmast, and having the special name of 
"towing foresail." 

It will readily be understood that the resistance oiler,.,! by the trawl 
materially decreases the speed of the vessel ■ a smack that is running 
along from 8 to 9 knots will not tow her trawl fasterthan U to2knots 
which is considered fast enough, since if the -ear is pulled along to,', 
rapidly it will not keep on the bottom. 

3. Shooting a Trawl from hie Starboard Side, or "Shooting aroi m. the 

Stern." 

It has already been explained t hat the trawl, when up. is always car- 
ried on the port side, and is also hove up there; therefore it will be 
obvious that when it is put out from a, vessel with her starboard tacks 
aboard, it must be shot around the stem. To do this (first supposing 
the bridles are shackled on the trawl-heads, and the cod end tied up), 
the after bridle is passed around the stern and coiled down alt, the end 
being taken forward of the starboard mi/./en rigging. The dandy bridle 
is next taken around the stern under the after bridle,' hauled taut and 
made fast to a cavil amidships, after which it is coiled down reads for 
running. The bight of the fore bridle is made fast afl of the port 
utizzen rigging with a slip stopper, and the end taken around outside 
of all and in forward of the starboard mizzeu rigging. The end of the 
trawl-warp is next taken around (if astern) outside and beneath the 
bridles, and brought in amidships on the starboard side; enough is 
pulled over to take turns around the dummy, the bridles are then 
shackled on, and the end of the dandy bridle made fast. When all is 
ready, and the vessel going through the water 4 or 5 knots, the captain 
orders the men to -'pay out the net," and at the same time gets the 
"quarter strap" and canting line all ready to slip, but holds on to them 
until the forward end of the beam swings clear of the smack's side as 
previously described. As he slacks away, the dandy bridle, leading 
from the starboard side, and the fore bridle from the port quarter take, 
the strain and the trawl shoots around or across the stem nearly at 
right angles with the vessel's keel. When the. beam is ••square," the 
dandy bridle and fore bridle are slacked away, and the trawl warp paid 
out and stoppered in the same way as if the vessel was on the port 
tack. __ 

Sometimes tin- daudy bridle is used to haul the end of the towing warp under the 
vessel's bottom. In this ease the bight of it is taken around the stern to the star- 
board Hide clear of everything, and the end is led forward on the port side and made 
fast to the trawl-warp, the bight of the bridle being allowed to drop down beneath 
the keel, so that the warp is pulled directly under the vessel, from the port to the 
starboard sole. Anv other piece of rope can, of course, be used for this purpose. As, 
however, the hawser is liable to chafe when underneath the keel.it is rarclj left in 
that position except in smooth weather. As a rule, the warp is taken around the stern 
or bow, its bight being stoppered up, if necessary, after the trawl is down, to prevent 
chafing. 

" Pull. U. S. F. C, 87 22 



338 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

As a rule, wheu the trawl is out on the starboard tack, a guy is taken 
from tlie bow to the towing warp and securely fastened, or may be the 
bight of the haw ser itself is taken up around the bow. This is a neces- 
sary precaution at night or in thick or rough weather, since all is 
then reaily to tack ship, either to clear another vessel or to heave up the 
gear. If necessary, the trawl stopper is cast oif, the jib-sheet slackened, 
the helm put down, and though she may have little way the vessel 
works quickly, the towing warp pulling at her bow materially assisting 
her in stays. 

After the trawl is down, if it is during the day and reasonably good 
weather, the fourth hand — usually a lad of sixteen to eighteen years of 
age — keeps the watch, takes notice how the trawl is working, and looks 
out for signals from the admiral, if fishing in a fleet. 1 If fishing at night. 
the watches are kept by the second and third hands. It is a part of the 
duty of the watch to trim the .sails, if necessary, and to note any change 
in the wind, as well as to observe how the trawl is working. By feeling 
the warp outside the rail one can easily tell whether the trawl is work 
in- right or not. A jerky, irregular motion, as though the trawl was 
constantly being caught on something, shows that it does not keep 
Steadily on the bottom, or is evidence that it is going over rough ground, 
or possibly that it has capsized. If, however, the vibration is regular 
and comparatively slight, the experienced fisherman knows at once thai 
the apparatus is going all right. 

According to Mr. Hellyer, the best way to tell whether a trawl is up- 
set or not is to put the ear down to the warp outside of the rail, though, 
i- stated above, an experienced trawler will generally be able to tell 
whether his gear is fishing or not by putting his hand on the waip. 

I. To i'iuM.1 ihi: Tack with the Trawi. out. 

It often happens, especially when fishing at night, that, owing to a 
change of tide, or because a vessel may have reached the limit of suit- 
able ground, she is obliged to change her tack, if possible without up- 
setting her trawl, since in the latter case the gear would have to lie hove 
up or else no fish would betaken. Of course, the gear could be hove up 
at the start, hut this would cause the loss of much valuable time and 
perhaps two hours or more of good fishing; besides, the crew would be 
forced to do extra labor, and also have their night's rest broken. 

(ri). In wear the Trawl around. 

When the tide is swinging around "by the lee." or when the wind is 
moderate, it is generally found the safest, in order to prevent the gear 
from upsetting, t<< wear tin- trawl around. This is done as follows: If 
towing on the starboard tack, with an ordinary breeze of wind, the bight 
of the trawl- warp is stoppered near the stern with a stout piece of rope, 

1 Little day fishing is done except in summer, and ill that season the majority "I' 

the North Sea vessels, at least, fish in fleets. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED stacks FISH COMMISSION. 339 

the stopper at the dummj is cast off, the bight of the hawser hoveover 
the rail, and the slack of it is pulled in on the port side. In the mean 
time the foresail is hauled to windward, the helm nut hard up and 
the after sheets eased off a little. As the vessel rails off— which she 
quickly does-and is about to jibe, the trawl-warp is stoppered at the 
dummy on the port side, and the fast on the starboard charter is east 
off. This generally lias the effect of causing the smack to swing still 
more, the wind finally catches the sails on the port side, when the ves- 
sel comes to at once, so that she heads, as it is intended she should, 
for towing. 

In wearing from the port to the starboard tack tl nly difference is 

that the bight of the trawl-warp must be passed around the stern, and 
generally, after this is done, a few turns of it are. hove over the dummy. 

Ordinarily a handy smack will wear the trawl round with ifficulty, 

but in light winds it often takes s time to perform the evolution. 

This man, Miver is described as I saw it performed ou the Willie and Ada. 
Some fishermen have a slightly different method, I believe. They prefer 
to take a guy from the lee side around the stern, which they make last 
to the bight of the trawl-warp, and putting this on the capstan, heave 
in on it. Of course they must, in the meantime, get their vessel well 
off the wind so that the warp leads aft; otherwise it might run under 
the keel without helping to wear the ship. 

(&). To staii tin' Trawl around. 

For various reasons it is often desirable to stay the trawl around in- 
stead of wearing with it. This operation is thus described by Olseu : 

"First put the helm hard up and run the vessel off before the wind, 
then pass the warp round the bow to abaft the rigging onto the dummy. 
Then stopper the bight ou the lee bow, let go to windward, put the 
helm alee, and when the foresail is a-back drop the inizzen-peak, let 
go the bight of the warp on the starboard bow, and when the vessel 
has paid off before the wind, and brought the. warp taut, I would bring 
her slowly to." 

(c). T<> drop a Vessel around with her Traicl out. 

He would drop the vessel round as follows : " I would bring the ves- 
sel slowly to the wind with the foresail down, and when in the wind 
lash the helm a-lee. As soon as the vessel is steady I pass the bight 
of the war]) round the bow in the same way as in staying, or I would 
pass a gooil guy round and heave the trawl-warp upon the starboard 
bow; then I take the bight of the war]) aft on the dummy and secure 
it. slack away my guy, and set a piece of the foresail aback. In this 
way the vessel will gradually bring the gear off the weather side, steady 
her, and secure all. 

"N. B.— This system is only used in bad weather when if is needful 
to bring the ship on the other tack." 



340 BULLETIN OP Till'. I'XITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

(d). To catch the Vessel around -with u Weather Tide. 

To perform this evolution lie says: "I should let the Vessel settle up 
to windward of the gear by lashing the helm half alee, trim the sheets 
well aft: she will then bring the trawl- warp across the stern, which will 
ultimately eau.se the vessel to come round on the other tack. \ would 
then trim the sails immediately and lash the helm alee. This can only 
lie done in tine weather." 

5. To Prevent a Vessel from Catching Around, 

when towing with weather tide and light wind, and the smack is to 
wiudward of her gear, Olsen says: •• I should bring the guy aft on the 
lee-quarter, pass it round the stern, and make it fast to the trawl-warp, 
heave taut with the capstan, slack the trawl-warp, and tow with a guy 
under the lee." 1 

tin: Working of a Trawl. 

The methods of Shooting a beam-trawl, and o\' managing it when out, 
having been discussed, it seems desirable and proper that something 
should be said of the action or working of a trawl on the bottom before 
a description is given of how it is hove up, etc. 

From what has been said of the trawl it will be obvious that this im- 
plement is designed more especially for the capture of such fish as keep 
near the bottom and which are generally denominated " ground fish.'' 
Among these various species of flatfish — several of which are the most 
highly prized of the European sea fishes — are perhaps mote easily and 
surely caught by a beatn-trawl than in any other way. 

" With rare exceptions all the soles, tut hot. and plaice brought to 
market are caught by the trawl. The various kinds of skate or ray 
are also obtained by the same means ; and notwithstanding the pecu- 
liar habits of nil these fish there is very little chance of their escaping 
when once the trawl beam has passed over their Leads." 2 

The movement of the trawl through the water, when it is being tow ed. 
keeps the net distended and the back raised some distance from the 
ground, and as it is traveling with the tide, and the natural tendency 
of fish is to head the current, it follow s that they are liable to lie fright- 
ened, when their first impulse would doubtless be to attempt an escape 
by darting in the direction they were heading; this action on their 
part would take them directly into the cod-end. 

"Should the fish, however, by any chance turn around ami dart 
towards the mouth of the net, there would probably be a considerable 
distance to go before they would be clear, for the ground-rope sweeps 
the bottom from the foot of the two head-irons to a distance of 40 or 
50 feet backwards to the bosom of the net, and this whole space is in 

1 Fisherman's Seamanship, pp. Ml 
'Deep-sea Fishing ami Fishing Boats, p. 74, 



BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES risil COMMISSION. 341 

closed above by the back, and at the sides b.\ the wiugs, so that there 
is no possible escape in a n \ direction above ground, bul at the .nuance 
under the beam. The trawl is moreover moving forwards all the time, 
and as Hat fish when disturbed only swim a shorl distance before they 
again try to hide themselves, it. almost amounts to . u thai, if 

they do not bury themselves deeply, they will sooner or later pass over 
the -round rope into the net, In the case of such round lish as keep 
close to the bottom— haddocks, lor example— the result is verj much 
the same, for when they are disturbed by the ground-rope they nat- 
urally rise and pass the slight obstacle without knowing it ; if, on the 
contrary, they dart towards the mouth of the net, they may escape in 
that direction ; but I hey also will probably have some distance to go 
before they can get clear, and the upper part or back of the net is an 
effectual barrier to their escape upwards." 

It is generally found desirable, if there is sufficient wind, to tow a 
trawl much faster for free-swimming fish than for fiat-tisb. Thus, while, 
many fishermen think a speed of one half to 1 knot is ample for catching 
soles, the J'.rixham and Plymouth trawlers, when in pursuit of hake, 
generally tow their trawls from 2i to 3 knots. 

Mr. Sims says: '• In fishing hard ground for soles we should shorten 
the ground-rope and not drag the trawl quite so fast ; just go with the 
tide. But if we are fishing for hake or haddock, then we say 'give 
her sheet ;' that is, force it all you can, so that you do not, lift it off 
the ground." 

Of course, this increase of the rate at which the trawl travels over the 
ground renders the escape of these tish much less probable than it 
would otherwise be, since the net is kept almost clear of the ground, or 
barely skimming it, which seems to he necessary to catch hake or 
other free-swimming species. Bur, though the trawl scarcely drags on 
the bottom, it requires a brisk breeze of wind ami every sail that can be 
.spread on a vessel to obtain the requisite speed. On the Plymouth and 
Brixharn smacks, according to Holdsworth, "a half square-sail or sort 
of lower studding-sail is frequently rigged up to a yard aim on the 
weather side in addition to the ordinary sails, if the wind be sufficiently 
aft for it to stand, and the curious appearance is often presented of the 
vessel lying over to the breeze and apparently rusbing through the 
water when in reality, with all the help of a great spread of canvass 
and a. favorable tide, she is not going more than .'> knots over the 
ground." 

Prom the foregoing it will lie seen that the beam-trawl is a very effect- 
ive implement for the capture of ground lish on smooth bottom, in com- 
paratively shallow water, where this form of apparatus can onl\ be 
worked with the best success, as will readil\ lie understood from what 
has previously been said concerning its construction and the fishing 
grounds where, if is chiefly operated. 

1 Deep-sea Fishing and Fishing Boar^. p 



342 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

7. Heaving up the Tk.wyi. 

Under ordinary circumstances the trawl is hove up when the tide has 
done running, if it is day-time, or when the limit of a fishing ground is 
reached and it is not practicable to tow back over it on the other tack. 
As a rule, the North Sea fishermen tow all night if the conditions are 
favorable — tacking or wearing the trawl round with the change of 
tide— haul in the morning, dress, box, and deliver the tish on hoard of 
the carrier, 1 and then, if the day is short, work to windward for another 
night's drift over the around. In summer, the trawl is usually shot 
during the early part of the day, as well as at night, and hove up in 
the afternoou : thus two hauls arc made instead of one. If fleeting, as 
is the general way in summer, the admiral signals when to shoot and 
when to heave up the gear. However, it frequently happens that a 
smack's trawl may catch afoul on the bottom, and therefore it is neces- 
sary lo heave it up whether it has been out long or not. and it is often 
found desirable to gel the gear at midnight and make a second "shot," 
especially when fleeting. 

The following description of the method adopted on board of the 
Willie and Ada will give a fair idea ot how the trawl is hove up and got 
onboard of the ordinary North Sea sailing trawler, in moderate weather: 
About '■'< o'clock p. in. the fourth hand, a lad of some seventeen years 
of age, who was on deck, shouted down the companion thai he thought 
the admiral was hauling. The captain instantly ran on deck, bare- 
headed, and satisfying himself that the report made by the watch was 
correct, came back into the cabin ami called all hands: the men, in 
obedience to his call, soon making their appearance on deck. When 
they were all up. the jib sheet was eased off, the helm put down, and two 
or three of the men shoved forward on the trawl-warp until it was 
placed on the roller. Two turns of the hawser had previously been 
put, on the capstan, and as the vessel Swuug slowly head to the wind — 
helped by the miz/.en. which the skipper hauled to windward — the 
cranks were shipped on the capstan preparatory to heaving, while the 
cook jumped down into the hold to receive anil coil the warp as it came 
in. When the vessel tacked — which she was assisted in doing by the 
trawl-warp being so far forward — she " went back over her gear," as it 
is called, slacking up the hawser, which the men hove in as rapidly as 
possible until it was tightened again, when the foresail was hauled 
down, the helm was put alee, and the smack brought on the other tack. 
In this wax the skipper continued tacking the vessel, making short 
boards back and forth, "working up to the gear." while the men at 
the capstan hove away briskly until all the slack was in. The object 
of this maneuver was to get in the greater part of the warp with as little 
labor as possible, since, of course, it is far easier to heave in slack liaw- 

1 If the vessel is fishing alone, ot "single-boating" as ii is called, the tish are 
dressed and packed in bins or pens in the hold. 



BjII U. S. F. C 1887 -iT„ fact page 342 ) 



Platl XVI. 







\ 
\ 




% 


\ 
> 






\ 



Heaving up the Trawl. 



BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 343 

so- than it would be if there was a strain upon it. Therefore, as the ves 
scl stood back and forth the men al the capstan reported, in answer to 
the rapt a m's inquiries, if the warp was " coming after her," and, if so, 
another tack was made. When the slack of the warp was in, the ves- 
sel was hove to on the port tack, with the jib shed eased off and the 
helm hard down, and the captain proceeded to assist in heaving at 
the capstan until the bridles were inside the trawl- warp roller. 1 The 
end of the dandy bridle was then cast off from the trawl- warp by the cap 
tain, who took it aft, passed it through the chock on the port side of 
the tat't'rail and thence to the dandy winch, upon which it was fixed so 
that it would wind up without slipping. 

The captain generally heaves in most of the dandy bridle alone; 
sometimes he is assisted by one of the crew, and for the last few feel 
two or three men may lend him a hand. In the mean time, as soon as 
the end of the trawl-warp comes inside of the capstan, the after bri- 
dle is unshackled, its end taken off the capstan, and thrown on deck, or 
two or three loose turns taken with it around the dummy. This bridle 
has a piece of spun yarn wound around near its end, which is a mark 
whereby it can lie told from any other rope at night as well as by day. 

While two of the men were uushackling and clearing the after bridle 
one hand cast off the fall of the fish tackle, took ir to the forward winch, 
and hove it taut, so that it might be ready lor use when needed. 

When this was done and the gear was all clear, the men returned to 
the capstan and hove away on the fore bridle — the skipper at the same 
time winding in the dandy bridle— until the beam was alongside, and 
a. strap, which was spliced into the fore bridle a few feet from the trawl- 
head, was inside the roller. The after end of the beam was then hove 
snug up to the tal'trail and secured. While this was being done two 
men had hooked the fish tackle into the strap on the fore bridle and 
began to heave away on the forward winch, lifting the end of the beam 
and the trawl head over the rail. As it swung in, (lie trawl head was 
lowered on deck and secured in its place. If there is any sea going, a 
guy (one end of a rope which is last to the main shrouds) is rove through 
the trawl-head by one of the men, who takes a turn with the stopper 
around the main rigging, to prevent the forward end of the beam from 
swinging across deck. The next thing is to .yet in the net. If there 
is much weight of fish in the trawl, the end of the "cod-line" is taken 
to the capstan and the cod end is brought nearly alongside. This is 
done in order to take the strain off the upper part of the net, which 
therefore can be more easily gathered in by the men. But when the 
catch is not large and the sea is smooth, this part of the work is gener- 
ally omitted. All hands then gather the net in by hand, standing a few 

1 When there is a strong lee tide it is impracticable to ^ ork a vessel up over her gear 
in the manner above described, and in such cases all that can be done is to heave the 
smack to on the pori tack and get the gear by main strength, and ii frequentlj liap 
pens that t\v<> or three hours are required to get a trawl up and the lish on deck. 



,'144 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

feet apart aud leaning over the beam. (See Plate XVII.) As the vessel 
rolls to windward a pull is made to get in the slack of the net, which is 
hauled over the beam and held from slipping back by the men leaning 
their breasts against it, while they reach out for a new hold. Heavy, 
hard work this is for five persons to do — two of whom arc usually 
boys — and it frequently happens that the eager looks which are east 
over the side to ascertain what success has been met with are unre- 
warded by the appearance of enough fish in the pockets to indicate a 
-nod haul; "and it is a bad sign when nothing is said and the bag is 
got on board without a word.*' 

On the occasion concerning which I am writing, though the catch 
was small, owing to the trawl having been torn on rough ground, the 
"cod" was not empty by any means. When, therefore, the net had been 
pulled in so that the cod end was alongside, a selvagee strap was put 
around the trawl, the fish tackle hooked into it, and the bag offish was 
hoisted up until it would suing in over the rail. 




I Hi '-'l'. Ilol.-I INC I HE i OD-1 KD. 



While it was being raised, a ''bag-rope" was taken from the main 
rigging to the trawl head and made fast, to prevent the fish from 
swinging across deck. When the net was in. the •• puke line " was cast 
off, the lint t cm of the trawl opened, and its contents tell on deck, a strug- 
gling, writhing, flapping mass. (See Fig. 21.) Nowhere else can one 
witness such a remarkable scene. 

The contents of the net differ according to season and locality, but 
generally they are of a most varied character — a wonderful exhibition of 
marine lite. Sliding back and forth on the slippery deck, as the vessel 
rolls in the sea-way, are soles, turbot, brill, and plaice, giving vigorous 
but rather spasmodic slaps on the plank w ith their tails ; here may be 
seen the writhing body of a conger eel : there the tierce wolf-fisn, with 



Bull. U. S F C 1887.— (To face p..' ■ >• 



Plate XVII. 










Pulling in the Net. 



Bulletin op the united states fish commission. 345 

it.s jaws armed with wicked-looking teeth, snapping al whatever comes 
in its way, while prominent in the crowd is one of those wide mouthed 
fishing frogs, which some one has called an "animated carpetbag." 
These, together with gurnards, iridescent with beautiful color, the 
vicious dog-fish — always the fisherman's enemy — wriggling about, 
shells, sea-anemones, sea-corn, etc., constituted a variety of animal life 
such as is rarely brought together by any other means. 




In,. 21. Till I RAW L'S COM 1KNTS 

When the net is filled with fish to such an extent that it can not be 
handled, in the manner above described, a hole is cut in the back, as 
previously stated, and enough of the catch is bailed out with a. dip net 
to allow of the trawl being taken in. Occasionally it happens that large 
stones are caught in the trawl and. getting into the "cod," hang down 
with such great weight that it is difficult, if not impossible, to raise the 
net in the ordinary way. At such times a long rope slip-strap, or a 
"clench," made with a running bowline, is put loosely around the trawl 
and sunk with the deep sea lead, which is tied to the bight of the strap. 
When it is low enough it is hauled taut, taken to the capstan and hove 
up alongside. 

The heaving up of a trawl on the single masted cutters is about the 
same as that which has been described, the principal difference being 
that the warp is taken forward and comes m over the bow, the vessel 
lying head to the wind, the light sails and stay foresail being taken in 
before the work begins. 

Mr. R. L. Ashcroft, of Southporl (near Liverpool), England, writing 
under date of November 1 1, 1884, gives the following description of the 
methods of handling a beam-trawl on the west coast of England: 

"I was out trawling from Fleetwood a fortnight since, with one of 
the large boats. 1 should like you to see how easily I heir gear is worked 



346 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

in comparison with the east coast boats. Our smacks here fish a 56-foot 
beam of greenheart, and the boat is only 56-foot keel measurement. 
But we turn out when we haul the net and haul by the bow, and when 
we have got the bridle on the winch we take the ' dandy ' or span bridle, 
or, as they call it here, the head rope, which is now made of steel wire 
rope, to a wink or Spanish windlass aft, between the cabin companion 
and the bulwarks, and get the after end of the net up. Afterwards, 
we winch the forward bridle up and let the after rope bridle surge until 
we have the forward trawl-head almost up, and then hook the fish-tackle 
into a beckel on the forward bridle, and take the fall to the winch barrel 
and coil it on until the iron of the trawl is clear of the rail. Then one 
of the crew gets hold of the winch barrel under his arm. and, the pawls 
being lilted up, he watches the roll of the boat and lets the iron come 
inboard by letting the winch at liberty. 

"In the boat 1 was in there are only four men in the crew, and they 
made all the nets required." 

The time requisite for heaving up a trawl varies a great deal, depend- 
in- chiefly on the state of the weather, roughness of the sea. depth of 
water, direction and strength of the tide, as well as upon whether the 
capstan is worked by hand or by steam. Captains who have used 
steam say that, under favorable conditions, they have goi a trawl up- 
heaving in 120 fathoms of warp— in the short space of fifteen to twenty 
minutes, while some claim that from twenty to twenty-five minutes is 
sufficient to heave in the whole warp, even in rough weather. 

Heaving a trawl up by hand is not only hard work, but the process 
is tedious to a degree, rarelj occupying less than forty live to fifty min- 
utes, and sometimes, when the weather is rough and the vessel knock- 
ing about, taking between two and three hours. 

It will be obvious that when steam trawlers are employed the con- 
ditions are quite different from those which obtain on board of a sailing 
vessel, since a steamer ran go in any direction which it may be neces- 
sary for her to proceed, and consequently many of the various evolu- 
tions which have been described would not be performed. The shooting 
and hauling of the trawl is done in much the same way, except per- 
haps that some, if not all. steamers use a derrick for hoisting one end 
of the trawl and a davit for the other, and that there may be sonic 
difference in the minor details of the method of working. It will be 
readily understood that, owing to the fact that a steamer is always 
able to tow in any desired direction, so as to take the utmost advan- 
tage of tide and the "lay" of the -round, as well as to go at the requi- 
site speed in calms as well as at any other time, vessels of this class 
are much more effective for working a beam-trawl than those which 
depend solely on sails. 

The following account of a trial trip of the new steamer Caller-Ou, 
of Granton, Scotland, clipped from the Scotsman of December 18, 1883, 
may be of interest in this connection : "< >ne of these exceptional days 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED states fish commission. 347 

iu December, when there is a clear sky overhead, a sharp breeze off the 
land.jusl sufficient to give a fair trial to a vessel under canvas, and when 
there lias just been restored comparative calm to a sea which had been 
angry during the storms of a whole week before the Caller Oit sailed 

down the Firth fr G-ranton with a considerable number of gentlemen 

on board interested in trawling and deep-sea ashing. It was not until 
the vessel was off Craigleith, IS or 10 miles down the Firth, that the 
trawl was put out. The depth of water was from 1 I to 15 fathoms. Of 
course, the experiments were conducted move with a desire to test the 
working of the trawl and its appointments than to secure a large haul 
of fish; and therefore the trawl was kept out during an hour only. 
When at work under ordinary circumstances, these steamers trawl dur- 
ing, on an average, lour hours. Ponderous as the trawl is— the heavy 
beam, the great net, and the massive iron hoop-like structures which 
at each end of the beam keep the mouth of the bag or net open as it 
sweeps along the bottom of the sea — the working f it by the machin- 
ery available was a matter of comparative simplicity and ease. Once 
cast into the sea, the trawl is dragged along al a speed of between 2 
and 3 miles an hour, being attached to the ship by a great wire rope, 
which on Saturday was run out to a length of "■> fathoms. The most 
interesting part of the trial was when, after the lapse of an hour, the 
trawl was drawn on board. Here, again, the steam machinery appeared 
to work satisfactorily, and in the course of a few minutes the beam and 
the iron structures were lifted over the side of the ship. The net or bag 
was still in the sea, and as the crew hauled it on deck its contents were 
watched with much interest. Soon it was thrown on the deck, contain- 
ing a couple of hundred weights of white fish — whiting chiefly, with 
three or four cod and codlings, a couple of skate, a few haddocks, some 
ray, a lew flounders, a young turbot, and two crabs. Tins catch, it is 
obvious, was not a large one tor a great trawl such as thai described. 
Hut the brief period during which it was at work, and the tact that the 
ground covered was not considered good, or the ordinary fishing-ground, 
were said to account for the catch being so small. The fish, however, 
were taken up in splendid condition — lull of lite and in as cleanly a 
stale as might be desired. Whet her the short period during which the 
trawl was at work accounted lor it. or whether ii was that the condi- 
tion of the sea-bottom was exceptionably favorable, the trawl was laid 
on the deck wonderfully clean — clear of mud, or of any perceptibly 
objectionable matter; and it was stated that this is t he condition in 
which the trawls -ire usually taken on board in ordinary weather in the 
Firth of Forth. Attention was also directed to the quality — the inter- 
mixture of immature with mature fish. There were, it was admitted, 
very few immature fish. There was one codling only 10 inches long, 
but the other specimens were excellent. There were, probably, half a 
dozen very small whitings, one small skate, and one small, but not 
apparently iramat are, flounder. I »n the whole, however, I he apparently 



348 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

immature fish were in number, hardly worth speaking of — not more, ir 
was asserted, than would have been got among an equal total catch by 
net or line. If possiblj disappointing as regards the quantity landed, 
the result of Saturday's trial was all that was anticipated in other re- 
spects; the fish were brought up in excellent condition, and the pro- 
portion of small fish to the whole catch was almost incredibly small. 
There were also in the net several varieties of the smaller conditions of 
life at the sea bottom, many being well developed forms, and others 
very minute. On this point one of the party pointed a comparison be 
t ween the coiil en t s of t he trawl net and that of a surface net which was 
worked from the deck of the vessel over three-quarters of a mile of sea. 
The contents of the surface net, it was stated, included a greater num- 
ber and a greater variety of life — very minute forms, of course — than 
did the contents of the other; showing, as it was believed, that life was 
more abundant on the surface than at the sea bottom. But, one ob- 
server also remarked, the sea bottom here was not SO rich in the smaller 
conditions of life, which form food of codlings and such fish, as is the 
ground over which trawlers usually work or on which the larger catches 
are taken. Such, briefly put, is the result of a trial trip the results of 
which, to those most closely concerned, were regarded with satisfaction. 
1 1 ni,i\ be added that the owners of the Caller-Ou contemplate the build- 
ing of other vessels like her for the (iranton deep-sea fishing should a 
reasonable experience of the working of this one prove remunerative." 

-. Single Boating \m> I'i 1:1.1 im,. 

Two distinct methods of trawling are carried on by the British ves- 
sels, called "single boating" and "fleeting." 

The single-boating system is the oldest, having been pursued since 
the advent of trawling. By this system each vessel uoes to sea and 
fishes presumably by herself, or, at least, usually has no connection with 
any other craft, the master pursuing his work iu whatever waters lie 
deems most .suitable. Ice is carried for the purpose of keeping the 
fish, when going to a considerable distance from the home port, the 
catch being packed below in bins or pens built in the hold of the ves- 
sel, until she arrives in port, which may be anywhere from one to twenty 
days. The Brixham trawlers, iu summer, frequently land their catch 
twice a day, when the conditions are favorable, in which case no ice is 
required, but the North Sea single boaters are generally out from one to 
three weeks. According to the report to the Board of Trade, ••some 
iif these \essels go (nit a ver\ long way in order to find the fish, quite 
as far if not farther than is the practice with the heels, and it often 
happen,-, that many of them are found to be congregated together on 
the same fishing-ground, sometimes as many as from fifty to one hun- 
dred at one time. The 'admiral' of Hewitt's fleet stated it to be his 
opinion that if all the smacks in the North Sea went single boating it 



BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 349 

would lead to a crowding of vessels at times which would he re dan 

gerous than fleeting." ' 

Of course, -where the fishing grounds are near the home port, and the 
fish can easily be taken to market in an absolutely fresh condition, as 
at Brixham, for instance, the single-boating system prevails, and wher- 
ever this is pursued each skipper is thrown upon ids own resources in 
choosing Ids ground, shooting and hauling his trawl, as well as in the 
care of the fish and getting them to market. Where, however, as in the 
North Sea, the best fishing grounds lie at ureal distances, comparatively 
speaking, from the market ports, and, consequently, the vessels must be 
out several days, it sometimes happens that the fish are in poor eon 
dition before they arrive. This, therefore, is a serious objection to this 
system, which, notwithstanding, is preferred by many fishermen to Heel 
ing, the latter being considered much more dangerous, especially in 
winter. The trawling fleets from many, if not most, of the large ports 

pursue the system of single boating in wilder, and i v or less of the 

vessels from all other places do likewise. 

A portion of the fleets, however, from Hull and Yarmouth follow 
the "fleeting" or " boxing " system even in winter, and nearly all of 
the trawlers along the east coast of England adopt this method during 
the summer. Under this system arrangements are made for a number 
of vessels to trawl in company, thus forming a " fleet " the movements 
of which are governed by an '-admiral," who is appointed pro tempore 
and who is known to be an expert and experienced fisherman. lie 
decides where fishing shall be carried on, when the trawls shall be shot 
and hauled, and the movements of the other smacks are controlled by 
signals which the admiral makes. All the vessels in a fleet generally 
shoot and haul their trawls at the same time, and sail together on the 
same tack, in obedience to \\\c signals made l>y the admiral, who, il 
may be mentioned, usually receives some extra pay for his services. 2 

Flags are used for signaling by day. and rockets or flares at night. 

"Each fleet has its own particular code," writes Mr. Ansell, "one of 
which is the following: 

Admiral' * signals bij day. 

For sailing Flay at foremast head. 

For trawling Flag hauled down. 

Not to hoard Flay at mizzenmasf I) 

Sailing before boarding Flag both mai I ' 

Cutter wanted Flay half-mast. 

■Report to the Board of Trad.- on the system of deep-sea l raw 1 fishing in the North 
Sea, Loudon, 1883. 

2 Mr. Saniuei Plimsol I, chairman of the South London Market Company, in an arti- 
cle published in the Loudon Fish Trades Gazette of Juno a, IHrti, states that M 
miral receives, in addition to bis pay as skipper, 3d. for each boat every tune her fish 
are taken out by the steam carrier. 



,">. r >0 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Admiral's sit/Hah by night. 

For sailing White rockel at intervals. 

For tacking Flare on quarter ami a white rocket. 

For trawling on |>ort tack Three Bares and a red rocket. 

For trawling on starboard tack Three Sares and a green rocket. 

For hauling (getting the trawl) Two Hares and two white rockets at one 

t line. 

For laying to One flare at mast-head and one on the quar- 
ter with a white rocket. 

In strong winds the fleet sometimes get scattered, and to facilitate their gathering 
again without loss of time, different places of rendezvous arc arranged according to 

the season of the year, thus : 

From February 1 to March 1 - Tail end of the Dogger. 

From March 1 to August 1 < >()' the Horn Reef Light-boat. 

From August 1 to October ] Clay I leaps. 

From Oct olier 1 to February 1 The Silver Pits. 

These are well known places to all fishermen." 

Messrs. Hewett & <'<>.. of London, are reputed to hare been the first 
to establish the fleeting system, which they did by arranging to have 
the large number of smacks they owned combined into one or more 
fleets, that, as now. were controlled 1>\ an admiral, while each day's 
catch was shipped on board of a swift-sailing cutter which took thefish 
to market, several of these cul ters being in at t em lance on a fleet so that 
no time was lost. In all weathers these " carriers " could be seen hov- 
ering about the North Sea fleets, and nowhere in the history of seafaring 
life can there probably be found an\ better examples of courage and 
hardihood than were exhibited by the crews of these cutters. Winter 
or summer, so long as they could show any canvas, they were driven 
through all weathers almosl to the verge of destruction. The object 
was to bring the tish to market fresh, and so long as this was accom- 
plished little was though! of hardships, perils, and discomforts, which 
it is difficult for one to imagine who has not had the experience of con- 
tinually forcing a passage at sea in a small and. deeply-laden vessel. 

Even at the present time, at least as late at 1880, essentially the sum,. 

system was carried on from Hull and Grimsbj : a limited number— any- 
where from ten to thirty— vessels would combine interests and form a 
fleet, which frequently would be all the property of one firm. These ves- 
sels would, as a rule, all share alike, and the smacks took turns in carry- 
ing thecatch to port, the admiral's flag being transferred to some other 
craft when his "turn" came to go to market. A fleet of this kind is 
called a "cutter fleet" 1 in distinction front the ••steamer fleets," which 

Sometimes the crew of the cutter which receives and carries the tish to market 
pack the cargo in bulk, putting ice among the tish. as on the single-boaters, rather 
than to use boxes. A licet, therefore, which sends its catch to market by one of its 
own sailing vessels is often called a " hulking fleet." because of this system of pack- 
ing fish in hulk. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STALKS FISH COMMISSION. 3;") 1 

arc much larger— numbering from seventy-five to one hundred vessels 
or more— and are attended by several ketch-rigged screw steamers, 
called steam cutters, whicli earn Old a supply of empty boxes for the 
Meet, to take the place of those filled with fish, also provisions and let- 
ters for the fishermen. But their chief work is to earn the fish from the 
fleet to the port where they are to be landed, generally London, Grimsby, 
or Hull. 

" < >nc of these cutters is generally arriving every day at the fleet, and 
the fish which has been caught by the smacks, and has on hoard of 
them been packed in boxes, is transferred or -boarded' in the smacks' 
boats to the steam cutter, with which she then goes back to her port oi 
discharge. 

"Single boats also are in the habit of transferrin- their fish to these 
cutters if they chance to fall in with them, and if the cutter has room, 
which is usually the case, the steam cutters charging so much per box 
for carriage. 

"The smacks engaged in 'fleeting' remains al sea for periods vary. 
ing from six to eight to ten weeks, when they return to their port to re- 
tit. From Yarmouth there are about six hundred and seventy smacks 
engaged in ' fleeting,' and from two hundred to two hundred and fifty 
in 'single boating' in the winter, and in the summer nearly all are en- 
gaged in 'fleeting,' and from Grimsby there are about three hundred 
engaged in 'fleeting' and one hundred in single boating in summer, 
but none of them go fleeting in winter.'" 

The same necessity exists now lor getting the fish to market as soon 
as possible whicli led to the hard driving of the sailing carriers, and 
probably no vessels in the world are forced harder in all weathers than 
thesteam carriers whichnow attend upon the North Sea fleets, and which 
rarely fail to make their passages from the most distant fishing grounds 
to Hull, Grimsby, or London, in from thirty six to forty eight hours. 

A writcrin Land and Water, who made acruise in a North Sea trawler 
in December, and returned to port on a steam carrier, gives the, follow- 
ing account of the passage, which will convey a good idea ol the condi- 
tions under which these vessels frequently make their trips to or from 
the fishing grounds: "It is impossible to convey even a general idea 

of the journey back without entering into an at int of nautical detail 

for which I have not time. The present age is certainly remarkable for 
earnestness and zeal in most official men; but there was in the dear, 
good, clever, brave, old man who brought that vessel home an intensity 
of devotion which it was positively refreshing to observe, lie carried 
sail when the sea washed all over the ship, and every now and then 
came down in deluges into the stokehole, all but extinguishing the 
furnaces. As to the little cabin, in which we were supposed to live, it 
was literally drowned, hardly a dry thing being left in it, and the little 
stove being almost instantly extinguished every time it was lighted. 



1 Report to the Board of Trade ou tbe system of deep-sea trawl tishiug, etc. 



352 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

At oue time I fchoughl to go in for the luxury of dry boots, so 1 put a 
pair before the fire; but in a few moments alter a sea struck us, and 
when I looked down the companion again I saw oue boot jammed up- 
right at the foot of the ladder full of water, and the other gaily career- 
ing all over the floor upon the bosom of a festive wave, which had floated 
up all the. small gear and so-called furniture, and was then eugaged 
splashing the table underneath. All this time the good skipper never 
wearied for a moment, and never left the deck except for a few seconds 
to snatch a mouthful of food, or a drink of cold, creamless tea, which 
was his only beverage; but forced the vessel through the heavy sea 
with steam and sail combined until he carried away the gaff, and then 
with steam alone, until he brought us safely, in what even he <>w ned to 
being 'coarse weather,' through sunn- of the most dangerous and intri- 
cate channels on the coast, and finally reaped the reward of all this 
great labor and anxiety when he heard from his employers that his 
cargo was in time for market, and that the.\ were pleased with his ex- 
ertions." 

In regard to the system of fishing pursued by the Grimsby trawlers, 
Mr. Mudd writes as follows under date of April '_'!>. 188 2: •■Our vessels 
fish in fleets principally in summer, and one or two fleets continue all 
winter. A licet of about one hundred and fifty smacks are attended 
upon by four or live steam carriers of 130 to lot) tons register, titty to 
sixty horse-power engines, which carry their fish to market in ice; so 
that the smacks carry no ice: they the smacks] go on the grounds for 
eight or ten weeks' fishing, then come home for a week and oil' again. 
This is the most profitable system of fishing. 

"Steam trawling is a great rage just now. I helped to form a com- 
pany last year. We have two boats which have been at work three 
months with fair success. We are going in for four more." 

Steam trawlers, as a rule, go on the single-boating system, generally 
carrying on their operations within 20 to (id miles from the land, from 
which distance they can easily reach the markets while their catch is 
in good condition. Sometimes they act in the capacity of carriers and 
trawlers, too, fishing in a fleet, the product of which as well as their 
own catch, they take to market. It may he explained in this connec- 
tion that it sometimes happens that sailing trawlers can do little fishing 
for several days at a time, because of a continuance of •■aim weather. 
On such occasions the steam trawler finds her opportunity, and by the 
time that the licet gets a good day's fishing she may have obtained a 
large catch herself, which adds materially to the income she may derive, 
from the carriage offish. 

"When single boating," writes Dunell, "they often average £00 
per week in their gross catch. During the summer they act as car- 
riers to a large fleet of sailing smacks. After being out about a week 
they will catch .CIO to £00 worth of fish themselves, and at the same 
time bring in a cargo in boxes from the sailing smacks. This arrange- 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES l'lsn COMMISSION. 353 

tnenl is found lucrative to the company aud a great advantage to the 
sailing vessels, as it insures the fish being delivered in good condition 
and obviates the necessity of the smacks makiug long voyages to and 
from their port, often with contrary winds. The advantage of this 
system to that of haviug steam carriers proper, is, thai in the calm 
weather, frequent in summer time, the smacks can not work their trawls. 
so that the carriers having do fish to take must lie idle, their resources 
unemployed, and their ice running to waste. On the other hand, the 
steam trawler is enabled to work without wind, and may catch fish 
which will be, perhaps, additionally valuable on account of the en- 
forced idleness of the other vessels.'' 

Higher prices can generally be obtained for fish which are taken to 
market by the steam carriers than for those brought in by the single 
boaters, though this is not an invariable rule. 

It may occasionally happen, according to the report to the Hoard of 
Trade, that smacks fleeting are obliged to keep the fish on board for 
several days on account of the rough weather preventing their beiug 
conveyed to the steam cutter, and as the fleeting vessels do not cam 
like the single boats, it is quite possible, under such circumstances, 
that the fish may arrive in inferior condition. One witness stated thai 
he had known salesmen to fill the steam-cutters- boxes with fish out of 
a single boating smack in order to enhance the price. 

The fleeting system is preferred by the owners, though the fishermen 
ate in favor of single boating. It is claimed that the fleeting system is 
more profitable, that it is a necessity for the owners that the returns 
should lie not only quick and large, but subject to as little fluctuation as 
possible. Whilst, however, "a difference of 20 pet cent, in the returns 
may make a difference to the owner of a fair profit or a decided loss, it 
only makes to the man sailing on shares a reduction of. say, from £2 to 
£L 12s. per week, and to the man on wages it makes no difference at 
all." Therefore, it is not. perhaps, to be wondered at that the fisher- 
men prefer the system of single boating, and that several objections arc 
urged by them against fleeting. Chief among these objections are the 
hard aud perilous work of ''boarding" the fish, and the much longer 
time that they are obliged to be. absent from home. 

The Duke of Edinburgh, in his excellent paper on the Sea fisheries. 
etc., gives a graphic picture of the dangers incident to boarding fish 
as carried on under the fleeting system, which he concludes by saying: 
"Xo one will deny the great importance to the owners of smacks of 
getting their fish to market in a salable condition, but they are bound 
to effect this object without exposing the fishermen to dangers, such as 
I have above indicated, but against which no means of prevention 
have, as yet, been devised or adopted. I have alluded to this subject 
here as an illustration of the risks of a fisherman's life, aud can not 
leave it without expressing my opinion in favor of a careful and search- 
ing inquiry being made on each occasion ou which a fishing vessel re- 
Bull. U. S. F. C. HI 23 



354 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

turns to port having lost any of her crew whilst at sea. This inquiry, 
it seems to me, should be conducted by a competent authority, whose 
duty it would be to satisfy himself and place on record the manner in 
which the life was lost, whether by one of these preventable causes or 
not. For, at present the fact of a life being lost at sea is the only 
record which exists, no matter how it occurred." 

" To sum up the advantages or otherwise of these two systems," says 
the report of the Hull investigation, "we are of opinion that the 'single- 
boating' system, whilst insuring to the men less hardship and possibly 
conducing to instruct them in a more perfect knowledge of their busi- 
ness as fishermen, is also productive of a great waste of fish. The 
fleeting system, on the contrary, is calculated to secure a more regular 
and continuous supply in a fresher state. We are not inclined to at- 
tach much importance to the argument that in < single boating > there 
is less danger from the congregating together of a number of vessels. 
We have it in evidence that a great number of ' single-boating' vessels 
are found together, and we are of opinion that the fact of their then 
sailing each at his own will without the regularity insured by acting 
in concert, as in a fleet, is of itself an increased danger. A single 
boat getting mixed up with a fleet would have a similar effect. The 
danger of collision to these vessels has been shown by numerous wit- 
nesses to occur chiefly in line weather and in the daytime, not owing to 
circumstances connected with f fleeting' per se, but to a habit amongst 
the skippers of visiting one another in such weather when trawling 
can not be carried on for want of wind, and leaving their smacks in 
charge of the boys. The same results may ensue when two or more 
single boats meet together under similar circumstances." 

;>. Care of Fish, " Boarding" Fish, etc. 

The various kinds of tish taken in trawls are classified under two 
general heads of "prime" and "offal," while all other material, such as 
invertebrates, radiates, etc., receives the name of "scruff" or "sculsh.'> 
" Prime" tisli are the choicest varieties, which bring the highest juice in 
market, such, for instance, as the sole, turbot, brill, and dory, while 
cheaper and less desirable species, such as haddock, gurnards, plaice, 
flounders, skate, etc., are called " offal." 

"Red mullet must be excepted, however," says Holdsworth, "for, 
although not strictly coming under the head of 'prime,' they are what 
the Billingsgate .salesmen look upon as • West End' fish." 

The fish are dressed, sorted, and packed awaj as soon as is practica- 
ble after the trawl is taken up. As has been stated, the fish fall on deck 
from the cod-end in a slimy, struggling mass, and, if there be any sea, 
they go scurrying and sliding from side to side as the vessel rolls back 
and forth. The fishermen use ordinary clasp-knives, or what are us- 
ually termed "jack-knives," of a large size, for dressing the catch, each 



Bull. U. S. F. C. 1887.- (To fa 



Plate XVIII. 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 355 

man being provided with i f these, thai lie carries in his pocket 

when not using it, and which he employs for various oilier purposes 
for which a knife may be required, such as filling his pipe, cutting rope, 
etc. Dressing fish, so far as we have had an opportunity of observing 
it, is carried on in a primitive way, differing verj much from the elab- 
orate methods employed by American fishermen. The men eitherstand 
in a stooping position, picking the fish up from the deck, or else sit 
down and grab whatever comes firsl to their hands as the fish are car- 
ried hack and forth when the vessel rolls. The fish are simply evis- 
cerated, such as are dressed, for it often happens that, when •• boxing," 
certain species are not even gutted. If it be a round fish (thai is, a 
cod, haddock, etc.), a slit is made in the belly, the viscera pulled out, 
and the "poke" cut off where it joins the gills. If a flat fish, it is 
cut across on the upper or dark side of the abdominal cavity, and the 
intestines are pulled out with the right hand, the operator holding 
the fish by its head in his left hand. The fish are packed in the boxes 
with the white or belly side up, and the slit does not show, while any 
blood or water that may be in it will escape. As the fish are dressed 
they are sometimes, though not always, roughly sorted into the grades 
of prime and offal, but more attention is paid to the culling after the 
whole have been washed. Up to this point there is little difference 
in the methods employed on board of either the single-boaters or ves- 
sels that are fleeting, except it may be on trawlers like those from 
Brixham, the catch of which is rarely dressed at all. but taken in and 
landed in small baskets. 

If the vessel is single-boating the fish are, as previously mentioned, 
stowed in bulk in pens or "pounds" made in the hold by shifting or 
adjustable bulkheads. The prime fish are generally kept separate. 

If, however, the vessel is fleeting, the fish are disposed of in a very dif- 
ferent manlier. As soon as they are dressed and washed, a number of 
empty boxes or "trunks" are taken on deck (each smack always has a 
supply of these), and the, tish are carefully packed in them, according to 
grade, after which a string is tied across the top opening, to prevent 
the contents from falling out while being transshipped. Each boxis la- 
beled with a wooden tag, on which is the name of the vessel and that 
of the salesman ou shore to whom it is consigned, while a note or dupli- 
cate bill of lading, showing the number of boxes of each kind of fish 
going from the smack, is made out to send with the shipment. The 
tish are now ready to be taken on board of the carrier, near which the 
whole fleet of smacks has gathered in the mean time, numbering, if ii be 
a "steamer" Meet, anywhere from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty 
vessels. The operation of "boarding" or "ferrying" the tish from the 
catcher to a steam carrier has been so graphically described by a cor- 
respondent of "Laud and Water," that I can do no better than toquote 
it here : 

"The boat is then launched over the side, no matter how heavy the 



356 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

sea may be, 1 and the necessary number of men, generally three, jump 
in, and their mutes on board hand them down the boxes, which when 
full weigh about one hundred-weight each. Sometimes there are very 
few boxes to go, or in certain cases none at all; at oilier times there 
may be as many as fifteen or twenty, or, in the event of the smack hav- 
ing been unable to send any for a day or two previously, there may 
occasionally be mere, but this is not very usual. The boat is then 
towed behind the smack with a painter of about 10 fathoms in length, 
and the smack makes sail either ahead or astern of the steamer, or 
sometimes round and round until she has got it into such a position that 
they are likely to be able to reach by themselves, when she lets go and 
they make their own way with oars. The whole of this proceeding is 
little short of wonderful: in fact, it is impossible for any one to under- 
stand what these men can do with their boats without seeing it. A 
common, awkward looking row-boat is first pushed over the gunwale 
into a, heavy sea. and almost before the fact of its having not safely in 
without being swam ped is realized, a man has somehow swarmed over 
the side and got on board, a turn of the painter is taken round a belay- 
ing-pin on deck, two other men follow the first, and the crew hand in 
the lish, the sea all the time rising and falling to a height of IS feel or 
15 feet, and not one of those engaged appearing to take the slightesl 
notice of it or in any way betraying the smallesl consciousness that 
there is a sea at all. Then the towing with a long rope, winch 1 have 
never seen before, is most remarkable, and the effect of a number of 
vessels running down together towards the carrier, each every now and 
again ou the crest of one wave while its boat is on the crest of the next 
and the long painter is taut in the mid air between, is something quite 
beyond one's ordinary experience, and forms a rather interesting study. 
The quietness, too. with which they knock about among each other in 
a heavy sea is somewhat instructive, no special lookout or symptom of 
anxiety being any where apparent, and yet all giving each other clear 
berths and no collisions happening. Verily, great is the confidence in- 
spired by real knowledge and constant practice. And now the boats 
approach the carrying vessel, the men in them sing out. -Let go!' 
those on board reply, "All gone!' and then the rowing begins, and up 
and down they go on seas so heavy that every now and then they are 
lost to sight for an uncomfortable length of time. At last they ap- 
proach the vessel, and though to an unaccustomed eye it might he sup- 

1 "This work," writes the Duke of Edinburgh, " is carried on in almost all Ktatea 
of weather, such U the importance attached to the immediate dispatch of the fish that 
tin- men never seem to think of the possibility of danger to themselves. I have heard 
ot'a trawler's boat, with its cargo and new . being actuallj lifted by a sea to the deck 
of a carrier and there left. 

" In the excitement and struggles of a large Dumber of these tiny boats, each of 
which is striving for the first place, or in the subsequent endeavors to reach their own 
vessels, accidents arc necessarily of frequent occurrence, too often attended by loss of 

life." 



Bull. U ' ■ 



Plate XIX. 




Boxing the Fish. 



LETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 357 



posed that they must be swamped in coining alongside, they come on 
all the same, nol even keeping a lookout, so far as one cau observe, but 
running in every direction full till onto tbe sbip, and as eacli boat 
touches, a man watches his chance, and just when the boal rises takes 

hold of the rail and swarms 
T it and fairly tumbles 

■ deck, holding one end 

■ long painter in some 
ither in his hands, under 
n. or sometimes in his 




Kit;. ■.'■.'. Boarding Fish. 

" ITe pick's himself up at once, rushes on to the shrouds or to a belay- 
ing-pin, takes a turn, and sings out, 'All fast!' and then one of Ins 
mates in the boat, who has been paying out, hauls short on the painter 
until he .acts abreast of the waist of the ship or some other part that 
may be vacant; the men in the boat immediately hand ii|> the boxes 
one by one, their own man receives them over the rail and tosses them 
on deck, then puts his delivery note into a basket in the galley, and his 
work is done. It is the business of each smack to deliver her own cargo 
on the deck, and no help is given for the purpose, not even in the small 
matter of making fast a painter or helping in a trunk, and the short 
time occupied in the operation, as well as the apparent certainty and 
safety of the whole proceeding, are, to say the least, surprising. Indeed 
it seems little short of miraculous that in a sea with a rise and fall of 
quite lb feet some eighty or ninety open boats should be launched over- 
board, manned and loaded, towed and rowed a considerable distance, 
brought alongside a vessel, unloaded, brought back, and hoisted on 
board again without a single accident, yet I saw this done without any- 
thing approaching to a misadventure, and from the general bearing of 
all concerned I could observe that there was no anxiety whatever on 
the subject." 



358 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Notwithstanding no accident occurred on the occasiou referred to 
above, and although the ashermen exhibited no anxiety, it is neverthe- 
less a fact that the ferrying of fish is accompanied with a great deal 
of risk and peril, and it not unfrequently happens that men are drowned 
while engaged in this service. Concerning this the following report 
was made to the Board ot Trade: "During the progress of the investi- 
gations held before US it was repeatedly shown that this operation of 
'boarding' the fish is conducted without regard to order or system of 
any kind whatever. So soon as the steam cutter arrives at the Meet, 
each smack hastens to send its boat alongside first, to letch stores, let- 
ters, etc., and empty boxes for future use, and again to load the full 
ones on board the steam cutter. The smacks sail up close to the steam 
cutter, some on one tack and some on the other, dropping their boats 
alongside as they pass ahead of her, where they lay to, waiting to pick 
up their boat again. Many boats by this means get congregated along- 
side the steam cutter at the same time, and a struggle ensues as to who 
shall unload his fish first. The result is that boats aie frequently 
smashed and sometimes capsized, occasionally entailing loss of life to 
the hands in them. Some of the smacks also are in the habit of running 
so close to these boats that a wash is produced, which increases the 
danger. In the Hull and Grimsby fleets the men who man the boats 
discharge the boxes onto the deck of the steamer and theu generally 
lower them into the hold, where the steamer's crew stow them away, 
assisted by a certain number of smack hands, who are paid a gratuity 
for this work. In llewett's fleet it is the ride lor the boxes to be placed 
only on the deck of the steamer b\ the boat's crew." 

It may be mentioned here that attempts have been made to devise 
some other means for transferring the fish from the catcher to the car- 
rier. A. sketch was exhibited in the British sectiou at the International 
Fisheries Exhibition at London, showing how the transfer could be 
made by means of an endless rope working between a smack and a. 
carrier, the fish boxes being tied to the rope, and pulled on board the 
steamer through the water. Laboring under the mistaken idea that 
the beam -trawl fishery is carried on in American waters, Mr. John Bland, 
of London, who. it would appear, is the deviser of this scheme, addressed 
a letter to the President of the United States, in which, after speaking 
of the danger attending the " boarding" of iish, he takes occasion to 
say: "1 would suggest that at a distance of 60 or 100 yards the collect- 
ing steamer throw by rocket a slight line to the smack. By means of 
this line the smack would draw to itself an endless rope, to be arranged 
over a loose block 6 or 8 feet above the deck. A box or barrel of fish 
would be attached to the lower part of the rope by means of a simple 
hook, then dropped overboard, and drawn to the steamer by steam- 
power. A few minutes immersion would not do the slightest harm to 
the boxes, and as the water would support the greater part of the 
weight, a dozen packages of fish might be attached to tin- rope at the 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 359 

same time, with a short distance between them, say one box for everj 
<; yards of rope. By this means 1 believe the catch could be transferred, 
day or night, and in almost all weather, with a tenth part of the present 
labor, and no risk to life or boats, as quiekh as the steamer could haul 
the boxes up her sides. A supply of empty cases could be sent to the 
smack in the same manner." 

Whether this plan will be found feasible or not it is difficult to say. 
We could not learn that any practical test of it has been made. But 
the difficulty of keeping two vessels at the proper distance to work in 
a heavy sea without danger of collision would unquestionably be found 
very great, and then only one could work at a time, which would be of 
small consequence when a hundred others were waiting to discharge 
their fish. 

In a remarkably brief space of time the steamer's deck is filled with 
boxes, which as fast as possible are being transferred from the deck to 
the hold, this transfer being actively conducted by the carrier's crew, 
who are sometimes assisted by the men from the fishing-smacks. Each 
steamer has a compartment in which enough ice is carried to preserve 
the fish. This place is called the " ice-house," and is connected with 
the main hold — where the fish are stowed — by a hole in the bulkhead 
which can be opened and closed as required. While part of the 
steamer's crew art' busied in passing down and stowing the "trunks" 
of fish others are hard at work converting the blocks of ice into tine 
particles, and when a tier of boxes have been stowed in the hold a layer 
of line ice is thrown on them, and so the work goes on until the hold is 
filled (if there be fish enough) with alternate layers of fish and ice, a 
tew baskets of the latter being thrown on top of the last tier of boxes. 
Over all is laid a cloth, and then the hatches are closed and securely bat- 
tened down. 

In the mean time the confusion, incident to getting the fish on board 
and the chaffing of the smackmeu who crowd the steamer's deck, has 
ceased ; most if not all of the boats have returned to their respective 
vessels, which may now be seen stretching off together in obedience to 
the admiral's " sailing signal," while the carrier's bow is pointed for port, 
and no time is lost in getting all sail set that she will carry, for no effort 
is spared to increase the speed. 1 

II. Marketing the Catch; Fish Carriage, etc. 

1. Landing the fish nt Billingsgate. — The arrival of a steam carrier in 

the Thames is i ediately telegraphed to London from the signal 

stations near the river's mouth, and Billingsgate makes all necessary 
provision for receiving and disposing of her cargo. As soon as she ar- 
rives her load is rapidly transferred from the steamer's hold to the 

'It docs not always happen that enough fish an- taken to make a, sufficiently full 
cargo lor a carrier to go to market with, in which cast- she may wait until another 
day to complete her load. 



.Kid BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION'. 

market by a gang of men, who take the trunks offish on their shoulders 
and heads, and passing in single file back and forth over gang planks 
that stretch across the decks of barges, or pontoons, form one of the 
most peculiar and grotesque processions one ever has the opportunity 
to sec By some dock regulation, or because of a lack of sufficient 
depth of water, the steam carriers are prohibited from coming alongside 
of the pier, upon which the market building stands, to discharge their 
cargoes. Large pontoonsare moved in front of the market, and to these 
t lie vessels make fast, so that the fish must be carried a distance of 
75 to 100 feet or more. Gangways of plank are laid from the steamer 
io the pier, but as these are often unprotected b.\ railings of any kind, 
it sometimes happens that one of the fish porters falls into the river, a 
mishap which is liable to have fatal consequences. But since it is the 
business of those bringing fish to Billingsgate to '-make their own 
roads," less attention is paid to safely than would seem desirable. 
Notwithstanding an occasional accident the work goes on vigorously 
until the whole cargo is landed, and the carrier is once more ready to 
proceed to sea in quest of the " Heet " she attends, and to brave again 
the perils and discomforts of a passage l<» and from the North Sea fish- 
ing grounds. 

2. Selling fish by auction. — The greal gong striking the hour of 5 in 
the morning announces that the salesmen of the market are Io begin 
business, and with a uurry-scurrying rush they reach their desks, 
surrounding which are a number of low benches or tables, upon which 
are placed the fish that are put up at auction, sold, and speedily cleared 
away to give place for new stock, this process being repeated over and 
over again until the sale closes. As fast as the fish arrive in Hillings- 
gate, after the day's sales begin, they are rapidly disposed of at auc- 
tion,' the salesmen using their long account books, instead of a ham- 
mer, to knock down the goods. One can not imagine a more novel 
sight than can be witnessed here in the early morning when business is 
at its full swing, the porters rushing hither and thither with packages 
of fish on their heads, quite regardless of whom they may jostle or be- 

- - "I'll*- and inn." says a writer in " The Fisheries of tin- World " [published by Cas- 
S nl] ,\ Co., Loudon, 1883], " was formerly conducted in Dutch fashion, so called; the 

pliers sinking till they reached the level of some i f the purchasers, who was not 

allowed i<> inspect, except in the most cursory manner, the bargain he was trying In 
seem,'. Nowadays most salesmen are licensed a net ioneers, ami the goods an- quick!} 
knocked down to the purchasers in tin- usual manner. Soles, plaice, fresh haddocks, 
skate, ile.. aie sold iii ' trunks,' but cod ami ling by the score or half-score. Her- 
rings arc sold en the vessels alongside bj i lie long I in ml red. a \ cry long linudred, for 
it exceeds that number bj thirty. Eels an- also sold for tin- most part on the Dutch 
boats winch bring them, and sprats are sold on hoard I he vessels by the bushel. 
Salmon, salmon trout, and some of the liner lish arc sold by private contract." 

The average wholesale juices, as staled by a leading salesman of Billingsgate to 
Mr. 1.'. W. Dull. M. 1'.. are as follows: Sole, salmon, brill, gray mullet, John Dory, 
whiting, and eels Is. (equal to 24 cents) per pound; haddock, sprats, cod, herring, 
coal lish. plaice, ling, and hake bring an average ni'onh 2d. I cents) per pound. 



Bull U S. F. C. 1887 (To I u e page 360.) 



Plate XX. 



||! 

m 

Will: ■ I. VMKaK^ .,,,,. 
1 1 I,'** 



3 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES I'Isll COMMISSION. 361 

daub, for no one stands on ceremonj . and politeness can nol be observed 
in the midst of a pushing, surging crowd, every individual of which 

seems to think only of the business thai he is intent upon. 

"The only comparison," says S;ila "] can find for the aspect, the 
sights and sounds of the place is — a rush. A rush hither and thither 
at helter-skelter speed, apparently blindly, apparently without motive. 
but really with a business-like and engrossing preoccupation for fish 
and all things-fishy. Baskets borne on the shoulders of the facchini of 
the place skim through the air with such rapidity that you might take 
them to be flying-fish. Out of the way ! Here is an animated salmon 

leap. Stand on side! a shoal of fresh herring will swallow you 

up else." 

On all sides may be heard above the general din the stentorian tones 
of the loud-voiced salesmen, who perched on their stands, and raised 
somewhat above the head- of the hurrying crowd around, shout their 
calls to attract buyers, from one we hear the cry: " Here, ye sole 
buyers, sole buyers, sole buyers, who'll have this fine trunk of soles .' " 
While a rival calls out : " This way. ye haddock buyers, come on had- 
dock buyers, give us an otter for this lot of flue haddocks." Others 
call for •• cod buj ers," " plaice buyers," etc., through the whole list, per- 
haps, of edible fishes, until the confusion of sounds is so great that a 
stranger can scarcely comprehend how business can be couducted under 
such circumstances, and it would be impossible lor one who has not 
seen it to form any conception of such a scene as may be witnessed on 
any week-day morning at Billingsgate. < me thing is more remarkable, 
perhaps, than anything else, namely, the method of bidding, which seems 
peculiar to the place, for though we tried hard to catch the sound of a 
buyer's voice, or to detect a sign by which he indicated his bid, we in- 
gloriously failed in every instance, which was rather mortifying when 
we were made aware that the sharp eyed or keen-eared salesmen had 
received dozens of offers from persons in the crowd almost at cur elbow . 

As fast as the fish are sold they are removed by porters ami the vacant 
places tilled by new- material until the sales end for the day. While 
fish are sold at auction in Billingsgate, the system of selling by Dutch 
auction generally prevails in the markets of the smaller ports where 
there are no licensed auctioners. 

■■( )u the coast the lish is generally bought by a buyer who is in direct 
communication with some firm at Billingsgate, which acts as the buyer's 
salesman. At Billingsgate the fish is either bought by the retailer 
direct, or by a middleman, who is known in the market as a • bomaree 1 
The 'bomaree 1 fulfills the same ('unctions in the lish market which the 
'regrater' used to discharge in the corn market. lie buys tish forwhich 
there is no immediate demand at the moment, and sells it again later 
on in the day. * * * But for his intervention many small retail 
tradesmen would be forced to attend the market at an hour when their 
attendance would be inconvenient to them. The ' bomaree' enables the 



3(i2 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

small costermonger to postpone his visit to Billingsgate till he has dis- 
posed of his purchases of the previous day." 1 

Such are some of t he features connected with the selling of fish at 
Billingsgate. Elsewhere mention is made of the methods of receiving, 
selling, and shipping of lish at Grimsby, which differ somewhat from 
those in vogue at London. 

3. Fish stilt' at Brixham. — In the summer of 1883, while making a brief 
visit to Brixham, the writer had an opportunity of learning something 
of the methods of trawling, as pursued from that port. Since the de- 
scription of the care of fish, marketing, etc., which we have given ap- 
plies more particularly to the methods adopted by the North Sea fisher- 
men, and at the larger ports, it may be of interest to say something 
here of how the business is conducted at Brixham. The vessels em- 
ployed from Brixham are mostly single-masted cutters which fish not 
far from its harbor, though a number of ketch-rigged trawlers which go 
to the North Sea are owned there, and for about two months in sum- 
mer a few Brixham boats fish off Tenby, iu Wales. With the exception 
• if those fishing in the North Sea, each of these vessels carry a crew of 
three men and a boy. The vessels fishing about home stay in harbor 
on Sunday, as a rule. They generally land their catch every day — 
usually in the morning— sometimes twice a day when the conditions 
are favorable. The\ carry no ice. As soon as the trawl is got on board 
in the morning the vessel is headed for Brixham, and all necessary sail 
is set. The fish are assorted and packed in small baskets called '-pads,'' 
of which there are two sizes, one holding about It) or 12 pounds, and the 
other double that quantity. 

If the weather is tine the cutter heaves to outside the pier, the boat 
is got out. the fish put into her, and two of the crew take the '• lot" to 
the harbor, where they land their cargo at the market. As soon as the 
lish are sold— sometimes before — the men return to their vessel that, 
in the mean time, has been jogging outside, and which immediately 
heads oil tor the fishing ground again. If the wind blows fresh this 
can not be done: therefore the smack anchors outside, if the wind is 
off the land; otherwise she goes to Dartmouth, Torquay, or Plymouth. 2 

The baskets have the vessel's mark attached to them, so that they 
may be known. All lish are sold at auction to the highest bidder, and 
not at ••Dutch" auction, as at Grimsby, where the first bidder takes 

■Tin: British Fish Trade, by Sir Spencer VValpole, lieutenant-governor of the Isle 
of Man, pp. 58, 59. 

-In a paragraph entitled "Sea fishing on tin- Southwest Coast," by .1. ('. Wil- 
cocks, which appeared in the London Field of February •-'-. 1865, the following state- 
ment was made relative to the Brixham smacks going to other ports : "The honest 
uumber of trawlers delivering fish at Plymouth during the past week wasa hundred. 
Between thirt\ or forty of the vessels were from Brixham, the whole of the smacks 
belonging to Plymouth beinga little under seventy in number. The increase iu num- 
ber of vessels delivering list, at Plymouth was owing to a strong east wind. At 
Brixham the largest uumber of vessels delivering ash was only thirty-five, a small 
number for this important fishing port." 



Bull U S. F. C. 1883 .1 I 



Plate XXI 



en sfe 




BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 363 

whatever is being sold. The sales ai Brixham begin at 9 o'clock a. in., 
and continue as long as fish arrive at the market. 

They arc conducted by a number of salesmen, who dispose of the lisli 
as Castas it arrives, 15(1. in the pound being charged for commission on 
sales, and dock tecs. The prime fish .u'oes chiefly ti> Loudon, offal mostly 
to country trade, the greater part of the conger eels finding a market 
at .Manchester. A number of women were at work- cleaning and pack- 
ing the poorer grades offish, chiefly small haddocks, which are hawked 
about the interior towns, while a somewkal better grade was being 
packed in carts and wagons with ice: these, it was said, were tor sale 
at Torquay. 

4. Shields as a fish market. — Shields has of late grown into considerable 
importance as a market for trawled lish, since it now has a large fleet 
of steam trawlers. 

The following account of the arrival of a licet of steamers at the 
Shields fish market, and the sale and shipment of their cargoes, is 
quoted from the (London) fish Trades Gazette of October 17, 1885: 

"When mild September gives place to chill October, and the last of 
the herring boats has spread its brown wings and disappeared, north 
or south, as the ease may be, then the steam trawler .seems to settle 
itself down to business, to proudly take sole possession once more of 
the lish quay at Shields, just like some party who had been bewildered 
and harassed by summer visitors and was right glad to get rid of them. 
There is a. wealth of all that is picturesque in the herring licet, its 
toilers, and their doings; but the steam trawler, in full winter vigor, 
gives you a, picture that is thrilling — one that serves to make you 
totally oblivious to the keenest blast from the North Sea when you 
have screwed up the courage to steal from beneath the blankets and 
venture down to the low lights in the early morning. A befitting com- 
panion picture is to be had in the scene on the qnaj alter the lish is 
landed, and salesmen ate bawling themselves hoarse, when big con 
signments are being hurried away and fishwives arc in full tongue. 
Being anxious to look on the scene as a whole, from beginning to end, 
the writer the other morning found himself shortly after G endeavoring 
to secure shelter from a biting sea breeze, under the lee of a pile of 
casks and boxes, beneath a. huge shed, which serves as dispatching 
department to the various dealers. There was little astir that indicated 
the scene of life and bustle which was soon to follow. Everybody 
seemed to be bent on shelter like myself, and the spacious boarding of 
the quay was tenanted only by awkward lorries iying here and then-. 
Eventually, there was a movement of one or two individuals, who 
looked as if something to do would come as a relief, towards the ex- 
treme end of the jetty, which reaches out into the river and gives a view 
down the harbor and out to sea. There they stood, hands thrust elbow- 
deep into their pockets, and, sucking vigorously at local twist tobacco, 
gazed out onto the waters. ' What's the. matter with those fellows." 



364 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 

I asked of a neighbor. ' They're only looking if anything's coming,' 
was (he n-pl.v. Presently, signs of animation amongst the group drew 
others along, myself amongst the number. The first trawler was in 
the offing. However, there was some dispute on the point. 'L tell 

yee it's not the ,' says one. ■ It's the tug ,' says another, and 

so on, until oneaucieut looking individual, who pits his eyesight against 
the younger of the crowd, exclaims, -It is the . There's her der- 
rick. And there's her beam.' The object of dispute seemed some 
miles away. 1 watched her for some half hour, growing larger and 
larger, now sinking to all appearances in the water up to the top of 
her funnel, then riding in bold relief on the top of a wave. Several 
others had been sighted in the meanwhile, and all were \ Oted traw lers. 
The lirst one seemed bent on getting first to the river, ami again and 
again huge rolls of black smoke came from her funnel, mingling with 
occasional puffs of steam which rose from her valves as she lifted to 
the seas, these demonstrations of activity bringing forth the remark, 
' He's tiring up. anyhow.' At length she came between the piers and 
into the smooth water of the rivet, and with her paddles slowly dab- 
bing the water, drew alongside tin' quay. It was low water, and from 
the qua\ above an overall \ iew could be had of her decks. Her black 
funnel was powdered like a wedding cake several feet upwards, where 
the spray had struck it and left the white salt hard baked on. The 
last shot had evidently been a good one. for the sorting of it up had 
not been completed. Several of the hands encased in oilskins, anil 
looking like yellow lobsters standing on end. were busy putting the 
cargo to rights. The fore-deck was divided into pens, like a cattle 
market, each kind of fish being stuck amongst its own kith and kin. 
During the whole of the operation the quick pulsations of the donkej 
pump were heard, and one of the hands vigorously plied the hosepipe 
light and left as a kind of polishing up of fish, deck, boxes, and boards. 
A pile of baskets were then put aboard, and tilled, so much into each, 
as far as the smaller fish would go. These, with t he larger fish, brought 
up in twos and threes, were then hauled on t > the quay, and taken 
charge of by assistants of the salesman who usually had the 'selling' 
of the boat. Whilst all this was going on, other trawlers had arrived, 

one alter the other, and assembled n d the quay, until there was a. 

general hauling up of fish going on. to the accompaniment of donkey- 
pumps working, lorries rolling to anil fro. and shouts from the men 
ashore and afloat. 

•• The scene on the quay was now one of great animation. The fish 
had been taken along from the trawlers and placed in various lots upon 
the quay. The larger fish were sorted up into groups: for instance. 
you might see two or three cod, or two or three ling, lying together, 
and here and there a conger, a grim-looking cattish, halibut, turbot. 
or monster skate. The plaice, soles, codlings, whitings, etc.. remained 
in baskets. It was a sight to see this mustering of the tribes of the 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED status itsii COMMISSION. 365 

deep all still in death, save generally the refraetorj conger, who always 
did refuse to adapt himself to 6sh inarkel circumstances; and the 
plaice, with their beautiful orange spots. With the latter the auc- 
tioneer's hand, of course, had no trouble, for they, jammed head Ursl 
into baskets, could only feebly flip their tails. Hut as to the conger, 
he invariably shows that 'there is life in the old dog' by wriggling 
astray from his proper squad, and joining the stock in trade of some 
other dealer. A knock on the head generally brings him to his senses— 
or, rather, knocks them out of him— for awhile; but he invariably tries 
another move when the tit is over, and so on until, like a sensible fish, 
he agrees thai mi ain't no use going agin the grain.' The cargoes of 
the trawlers are almost invariably eked out by a baske! or two of crabs, 
crawfish, and a whole category of noudescripts, which give an inter- 
esting insight into marine life of the lower depths of the ocean. Soon 
some five or six auctioneers were busily engaged in selling the fish, 
and the running lire of chaff appeared to be endless. The sales, on 
an average morning, htsl over some hours, and on turning attention 
from the group which are standing round the collections offish on the 
floor we find that the trawlers Lave, for the most part, either gone, or 
are in the act of casting oif from the quay, to go up river to secure 
coals lor the next trip. The close of the auction sales does not, by an\ 
means diminish the animation on the quay, for a long while after- 
wards buyers were busy moving their purchases ro their respective 
packing sheds, where a number of busy hands were always to be 
found. About the most queer sight of the fish quay was that of oper- 
ations at the 'gutting' tubs. The corporation have provided a proper 
[dace for the fishwives— who hawk fish locally— to gut and cleanse 
their purchases before setting forth on their rounds. Here some half 
dozen quaintly-dressed women were up to their wrists in the animating 
operation of emptying haddock, cat-fish, and the like, their tongues 
keeping up a round of merry gossip. 

" Before the trawlers were seen goiug to sea, again, the bustle of the 
day was about over. I watched several of the hoals depart, and could 
not help thinking that their calling was as risky as if, was hard. They 
have to bear up against downright bad weather before giving in, for 
when the sea is rough and trawlers are few, then high prizes are made. 
The boats often suffered by sudden outbursts of bad weather; and 
sometimes, thinking that it might blow over, have had to plow their 
way home through a perfect hurricane. As if to preface them for this 
kind of ordeal, they invariably get a dusting during October. Despite 
their daring, however, accidents are t'vw, and happily it is several years 
since any of them got into serious trouble. Somehow they always 
seem to be unlucky in the spring, for when the approach of Easter 
sends up the price of fish, the weather is generally so rough as to defy 
them leaving home." 

."">. Fish carriage. — The subject of fish carriage is one of great impor- 



366 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 

tance so far as the success of the British beam-trawl fishery is concerned, 
but for obvious reasons its various features will not be discussed at length 
in these notes. As lias been shown, large quantities of fish are taken 
direct from the fishing fleets in the North Sea to London ; the amount 
of fish thus carried from sea to Billingsgate has been estimated by 
competent authority at 42,000 tons yearly, while 90,000 tons reach Lon- 
don by land. 1 

"Owing to the fact." writes Mr. Plimsoll, "that Grimsby and Huh 
are so much nearer the fishing ground than London is, by far the larger 
portion is carried into those ports and thence oil' by night trains to 
London. 

"The more valuable kinds of fish on being landed are packed into 
large boxes or hampers, but the -kit' haddocks are put loose into what 
are called machines. These machines arc long boxes lined with lead, 
some 1") feet long by 5 feet broad and 2 feet deep, which are divided 
internally into lour equal spaces, each of which holds half a ton of fish, 
and the machine is carried on the railway on a truck or wagon with low 
sides. On arriving in London these machines are lilted bodily from the 
railway wagon by a powerful hydraulic crane, lowered onto a strong 
street trolly, and drawn by horses into Thames street, where they form 

a line s etimes a quarter of a mile long, and these are the things 

(and these only, as any one may see any day by going into Thames 
street that cause the obstruction and overcrowding, as containing the 
less valuable fish, they wait until the vans containing the prime, which 
is sold first, are unloaded. The detention is sometimes for eight or nine 
hours (the average over a long period was found to be four hours and 
forty-nine minutes), so that the average detention of the tanks contain- 
ing offal is probably not under six hours. Some cod and other kinds 
of prime are carried in these tanks or machines, but the quant ily is 
very small indeed, compared with that of the 'kit' haddock — the great 
bulk of cod, etc.. being packed in boxes and hampers." 

Much fault has been found with the rates charged for the transporta- 
tion of fish by rail, it being claimed by interested parties that these are 
excessive. As. however, this is somewhat of a local matter, it does not 
seem necessary that anything more than a passing allusion should be 
made to it. 

It is proper, however, to remark that the carriage of fish, notwith- 

1 ■• It must ii"t In- supposed," says Walpole, " that the u dole of tin- fisb brought to 
London are ' in the metropolis. On tin- contrary, London is the central 

source of the supply of a district which every year tends t" become larger. One 
of the most certain consequences of improved locomotion is the concentration of trade 
It is found practically mure convenient for buyers and sellers to meel m one place 
than to scatter themselves among a great many places. In nothing is this tendency 
more perceptible thau in the lish trade. London and Birmingham, and to a lesser 
extent Manchester aud Liverpool, are the markets from which nearly the whole of 
England is supplied with fish ; ami London is annually becoming to a greater extent 
the center of supply." 

'-Fish Trades Gazette, June 'J, L883. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 367 

standing complaints that have been made concerning delay, seems to 
have reached a high state of perfection, and il would, no doubt, be 
to the advantage of the American fish trade if swift-running trains could 
be employed in the United States, as in Greal Britain, for transporting 
fish. According to the Duke of Edinburgh, only about 400 tons of fish 
were condemned at Billingsgate in the year 18S1 as unfit for food, a 
large proportion of which was shell-fish. This, he thinks, speaks well 
for the system of carriage, as London receives a yearly supply of about 
143,000 tons of fish. 

I. Method of Dividing the Profits. 

There are certain local differences for the division of the money ob- 
tained from sales of fish can-lit by trawling smacks, but the following 
table showing the apportionment of a trawling smack's assumed earn- 
ings of £800, furnished by Mr. Sims, of Hull, and published in the re- 
port of the inquiry at Hull, by the Hoard of Trade, will give a clear idea 
of the methods adopted for settlement at the large trawling ports on 
the North Sea: 

Assuming that a smack earns G800 to " settle on." that is, availa- 
ble tor division between owners and crew : 

£ s. (I. 

The skipper's share is 137 hi n 

The second baud's share is It-.' In 

l'o 'visions found by owner tor the three other hands, say 60 00 

Wages for three other hands, say, CI 15s., and 10s. per week. 117 

Insurance, on £900, the assumed value of the vessel, ;it :; percent 'J? 

Repairs for wear and tear of vessel, sails, spars, fishing-gear, cleaning 

bottom, etc 250 <) 

Interest on £900 at 5 per cent 15 

Depreciation of vessel 50 

799 n 

The skipper's share L37 10 n 

Less provisions 20 n 

117 in it 

"!■ £2 .">.■;. per week. 

Second hand's share 11- 10 

Less provisions 20 

92 m o 
or £ 1 158. If/, per n eek. 

The foregoing statement suggests the approximate earnings of a first- 
class North Sea trawler and her crew. As a matter of course there is 
considerable variation in the amount earned by different vessels, some 
stocking more than £800 and others much less; the average gross 
earnings of sailing trawlers, according to Dunell, for the three yeara 
ending in 18S.J was £<;."><) per annum. 



368 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

The earnings of steam trawlers are much greater, as a rule. The 
steam trawlers belonging to the Grimsby company tor the year ending 
February, 1883, averaged £2,500 to each vessel, but as these carry more 
men and their expenses are necessarily much larger, the crew's share 
is not so large in proportion as the difference in the relative stocks 
would seem to indicate. 

Iu conversation with the skipper of a Brixham smack, I was told that 
400 pounds offish (exclusive of rays) is considered a good day's catch 
for one of the trawlers working oil' that port, and this amount is rather 
above than below the average, if a vessel stocks CI a day it is thought 
she is doing well, and a skipper's share does not generallj exceed £1 
per week, ami if he make 5s. or lO.s. more than that he is thought to be 
" lucky." 

According to Mr. Charles Hellyer, of Hull, the maximum earnings of 
a sailing trawler from that port, clear of stock charges. are£l,400 a year, 
while he thinks the licet average Cs.'.P. 

He thinks an average year's work for a skipper not owning any of 
the vessel would be CI Hi. the skipper takes eleven sixty-fourths of 
net stock, mate nine sixty-fourths, ami third hand, if by share, gets 
occasionally nine sixty fourths, but generally eight sixty-fourths, or is 
paid by the week, the wages being about £1 per week and found by 
owner. The deck or fourth hand is generally hired, as there are few 
apprentices now. and gets 18s. per week, while the cook's wages— he 
being the smallest— ranges from LOs. to 12s. per week ; both of these 
are "found"' by the owner. In addition to the shares and wages the 
crew have exclusive right to the fish livers, the proceeds from which 
are divided into four shares, the skipper, mate, and third hand getting a 
share each, the deck hand two thirds and the cook one-third of a share. 
According to the Duke of Edinburgh : 

"The crews of the trawlers engaged in the North Sea, are fed by the 
owners, and receive a certain rate of pay weekly, in addition to which 
they arc paid a percentage of the amount realized by the sale of all fish 
caught." 

This statement, that the crews of the North Sea trawlers are fed by 
the owners, is onlj partially correct, as has been shown, since the shares- 
men pay a part of the " grub bill." And it is also a fact that a portion 
of the crew are hired, at least from some of the larger ports, and have 
no pecuniary interest in the catch. The statement he has made may 
apply to certain localities, as Yarmouth, for instance, but it is not gen- 
erally applicable. 

"The system of division ou the Channel trawlers is somewhat differ- 
ent, namely : 

Shares. 

Owner receives :*f 

Master receives li 

Two men, each 1 wliare 2 

Total 7 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 3G9 

The hoys do not share in the catch. 

Mr. .lex tells me that the crews of all the Varmouth trawlers are hired 
by the week, receiving, however, a certain part of the stock resulting from 
the sale of the fish. The weekly wages paid at the present time to the 
skipper and crew amounts in the total to £3 12s., equal to about $17.50. 
Besides this, three-twentieths of the net stock is divided among the 
•■icw, the skipper taking nearly half — Is. 5d.— while the rest is divided 
anions the other men. This is railed " poundage," because it is a certain 
partof each pound earned by the vessel. It should be staled that when 
the drifters (herring vessels) arc at work the wages frequently are much 
larger thau quoted above, for the reason that the men are sought after 
by the skippers of the herring catchers. At such time it is often neces 
Sary for the owners of trawlers to pay as much as C~> (aboul $25) per 
week for the skipper and crew, to keep the men. 

The Yarmouth men are "round" in gear and provisions, the owuer 
paying all expenses. 

The skippers and men are shipped as they can be obtained, as in New 
England. The men often make a demand lor increased pay, and, if the 
vessel is ready for sea and men scarce, tliey frequently succeed in oblig- 
ing the owners to pay high wages. 

J. Effect of Beam Trawling on the Abi ndance of Fish on 
Grounds frequented by British Vessels. 

Much has been said and written, pro and con, concerning the effect 
of beam trawling upon the abundance of fish. Anion- practical fisher- 
men there appears to lie a remarkable consensus of opinion on this 
subject. With few exceptions they believe thai there has been a very 
marked diminution of fish on all the grounds ordinarily visited by 
beam-trawlers, and not a few are ready to predict almost the entire 
destruction of many species, while instances are cited of fishing grounds 
that were formerly rich fields for trawling, now being so poor that they 
are seldom visited, it is a somewhat remarkable fact that the first 
notice obtainable of the use of trawls, the petition to Parliament in 
1376-'77, quoted on page lour of this report, speaks of the destruction 
of immature fish and the consequent evil effect on the fisheries liable 
to result from the use of such apparatus. The same thing has been re- 
peatedly brought to the notice of i he British Government, and a great 
mass of evidence has been submitted to establish this point, and urged 
as a reason for putting restrictions upon beam-trawl fishing. The an- 
nual report of the London Fish Trade Association for 18.s;; culls atten- 
tion to the report of the fish-supply committee, dated August and 
November, l.ssi, and which, among other mailer, contains the follow- 
ing: 

"The first point which struck' us, and upon which undoubted stress 
should be laid, is the destruction of spawn and small fish, and the tak- 
ing of immature fish. The evidence proves conclusively that large 
Bull. T. S. F. C, 87 24 



370 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES 1'ISU COMMISSION. 

quantities of immature fish are uselessly destroyed, and also thai many 
of the ancient fishing grounds have been and are greatly deteriorated 
and have ceased to be productive, and we are of opinion that the court 
should communicate with Her Majesty's Government, urging that legis- 
lative steps be promptly taken to remedy these evils." 

On the other hand several eminent scientists have claimed that it is 
quite impossible for man to materially influence the supply of fish life, 
in the ocean. And it is a singular fact that almost at the very time 
(winter of 1883-'84) when the Scotch fishermen (chiefly those engaged in 
line fishing) were testifying before a royal commission, and stating with 
scarcely a dissenting voice, that the system of beam-trawl fishing was 
ruining the inshore .mounds to such an extent as to make them almost 
worthless, fish of all kinds should lie found off the Scottish coast in 
numbers not equaled for many years. Air. T. I'. Bobertson-Garr, writ- 
ing under date of February 12, 1S31, says: 

"Both trawler and line fishermen have had heavy catches of cod, 
ling, haddocu, and flat fish; both as to size and quality all are agreed 
that this season's fish are rarely surpassed." 

The following clipping from the Edinburgh "Scotsman"' of February 
21, 1884, is corroborative of Mr. Can's statement, ruder the heading 
of "Remarkable Success of the Winter's Fishing on the Scottish 
Coasts." it says : 

••At the last meeting of the Scottish fishery Board returns from the 
various districts were presented, showing that unprecedented success 
had attended the prosecution of the winter fisheries on certain parts of 
the Scottish coasts. In the Eyemouth district no less than 92 tons of 
haddocks were caught in one week, the value of which was £1,300. 
The average earnings reached nearly £45 per boat, and during the 
season the toial quantity of haddocks landed by ;)(> boats was computed 
at 924 tons, realizing to the fishermen something like £12,066. This, 
ii is estimated, would give an average yield and value per boat proba- 
bly exceeding that lor the corresponding period of any previous year. 
The .Montrose fishermen met with similar success — the haddock fishing 
in that district having been rarely, if ever, so remunerative. In one 
week some of the crews realized from jC.'iti to jC 15 per boat. 1 The enor- 
mous hauls obtained for some time have not, however, been confined 
to haddocks. In the A list in I her district there were 12,305 crans of her- 
rings landed in one w cek, during « Inch '■'•, 100 telegrams w ere dispatched 
.mil son fish wagons loaded. Al Wick, in one week there were landed, 
in addition to an estimated catch of !• 1 1 crans of herrings, immense quan- 
tities of whitelish. comprising about 10,443 cod and ling, 690 saithe, 
10jj tons of plaice. -A tons of haddocks. 2j tons of halibut, 3i cwt. of 
brill, 4 A cwt. of soles. TUn skate, etc." 

Though the above would seem to throw considerable doubt upon the 
correctness of statements which go to show the decrease in the abund- 



1 The crews alluded to here number seven persons to each boat. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATICS FISH COMMISSION. 371 

ance of fish on trawling grouuds, we nevertheless can not lose sight of 
the fact that the testimony of those best qualified to know positively the 
merits of this question can scarcely be thrown aside as of no value. The 
following extracts from a lecture delivered by Mr. Edward Jex, C. C. 

(a salesman at Billingsgate, formerly a practical fisherman, and still a 
smack owner), at the Norwich Fisheries Exhibition, in 1881, will be of 
interest in this connection as showing the other side of the question : 

'• I am well aware there are those who will not admit of any falling 
off in the supply of trawl fish, but the old proverb, that fads are stub 
born things, is strictly applicable to this case ; and I do not doubt that, 
by adducing the plain incontrovertible tacts without any distortion, I 
shall be able to prove that the answer just given by me is the perfectly- 
correct one. For this purpose it will be necessary for me to go back for 
a few years from the present— twenty to twenty-five will suffice. At 
that period a first class trawling vessel was not more than half the size 
of many of the splendid vessels of to-day, some, of them from 50 to 80 
tons, and working a beam nearly if not fully double the length ; conse- 
quently the mouth of one of these nets will go over double as much 
ground as a net would twenty-five years back, and with what, result? 
One of the small vessels, with a net about half the size, would at that 
period take, in nearly every case, as much fish in one night as one. ot 
these large vessels now obtains in a week, and the fish were much lar- 
ger; in fact, the full-grown matured fish were so plentiful that the small 
fish, such as taken now, would at that time have been valueless. The 
gentlemen present who have been engaged in the trawl fishing for so 
long a period will, I have no doubt, be able to corroborate my state- 
ments. I also wish to impress upon you, my hearers, that, there are 
now fully five or sis times the number of vessels employed in the deep 
sea fisheries around our coasts than there were twenty-five years ago; 
yet with all this increase in vessels, and the increased size of the net. 
we at, the, present time find, and have found for some time past, a very- 
large falling off in this branch of the fisheries. 

"Thirty-five years back there were from the port of Hull 25 vessels 
engaged in trawling, their combined tonnage was 025 tons, and their 
insurance value £6,000, but to-day there are 150 vessels, their tonnage 
31,511(1 tons, and insurance value £450,000. 

" The surest, index to the supply of fish is and always will be the quan- 
tity which is upon sale, in the various markets, and the prices of the 
same. Twenty years ago soles were sold 12s. to 20*. a trunk, plaice and 
haddocks at 5s. per pad, and all other kinds of trawl lish at equally low- 
prices and within reach of the humblest families of the land. i!ut as 
time has gone on so has the trawl fishing gone on. I am sorry to say, 
for the worse. That, splendid and nutritious fish, the sole, is being 
swept out of our seas, is no more, the cheap food of t he poor and middle 
classes, but is nearly a luxury on the rich man's table, and is almost a 
rarity to some fishmongers' shops. During this last month I have sold 



372 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

trunks of soles at from £■'> to £10, and plaice at from 15s. to 21s. per 
trunk, haddocks from 12s. to 16s., and all other kinds of fisb have been 
proportionately high. 

" To what cause can we assign these high prices? Simply that the 
shortness of the supply of fish is out of all proportion to what it was 
for vessels twenty or twenty-five years back. If it were not so, we 
should find it bear strongly in favor of the purchaser, but with the large 
numbers of vessels of the finest class, and every means man can use for 
the capture offish, we have found the decrease in the catches has had 
such an effect on the advance in prices that the smack owner of to day, 
in many cases, is quite unable, to live, by his industry; his vessel and 
gear, instead of being a source of profit, are a burden upon his means. 
For the past few years 1 tear there are but few who have cleared their 
way, particularly trawlers. Not only in the price is the difference to 
be noticed, but in the size at the period of which I am speaking ; t wenh • 
five years ago the fish sent to the various markets of the kingdom 
were of a proper size, but such is not now the case. At the present 
time a very large proportion of the fish sent for sale to the various mar- 
kets are but little more than small brood and try, and ought not to be 
captured. This is not only the ease of one particular description, but 
is applicable to every description of fish taken with either the trawl, 
drift, or seine, and other nets I have before named. Take, for instance, 
the small plaice and haddocks from several parts; likewise iel us loot 
at the small immature fish sent for sale from all parts of the coast. The 
sole, which has acquired the designation among the buyers of ' slips' 
and •tongues,' these tongues vary In m 5 to !l inches in length (and it 
must be borne in mind that I am speaking of the appearance of such 
fish in our markets not as infrequent but as of daily occurrence), there 
are of these small immature fish as many in one box as would till four 
to six boxes, at least, if they weie allowed to grow twelve months longer. 
These small fish frequently fill only half or two-thirds of a box. and are 
covered over with a, few middle and large sized fish. No person will 
for a moment contend that such small immature fish are fitted for the 
food of mankind. Why is it that these small fry are caught and the 
food of our increasing population destroyed .' 

" I will here mention some of the principal fishing grounds, and I can 
say most emphatically that many of them are depopulated to such an 
extent that very few- will pay a trawler to woik them; others are be- 
coming in a like state as rapidly as possible. There is not one of the 
fishing grounds 1 will here name have the fish upon them there were a 
few years back— live Hay. the Diamond Ridge and Name, the balls, 
Inner and Outer Gabbard, the Flats, Smith's Knoll, the Lemon. Shoals 
of the Hurry, Winterton Ridge. North Northeast Hole. Well Bank, 
Black Bank,Surat Bank, Botany Gut, Silver Fits. Southwest Fit, Noith- 
west Pit, Clay Deep, Southwest Flat, West Shoal," Dogger, Swash, 
Dogger Bank, East bough, Inner ('.round and Oil' Ground, Outer and 



BULLETIN' OK THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 37;} 

Inner Rough, on the coast of Jutland, Born Reef, Borkuni, Am. -Ian. I, 
Texel Hakks, also the Little and Great Fisher Bank, and the grounds 
off Penzance, Plymouth, Brixham, and Darti ith." 

Sir. Jex, like many others, believes the cause of this depletion, is due, 
in a great measure, to the suialluess of the mesh in the cod end of the 
trawls. This fact is so well recoguized by many trawl fishermen that, 
as has been mentioned in a previous chapter, various devices have, 
been brought forth to insure the escape of immature fish. 

Just what will he the linal result of beam-trawling on the supply of 
fish it is now difficult to say ; time alone can tell. While, however, ii 
may be conceded that many who are in good positions to judge ac- 
curately have grave apprehensions of the future, it goes without say- 
ing that the fisherman who depends on his work to support himself 
and family can not afford to look beyond the present, but must use 
his utmost endeavors to catch all the fish he can, since it, is for that 
purpose he ventures forth to brave the perils which always surround 
him. 

K. A Cruise on a British North Sea Trawler. 

Previous to my departure from the United States to attend, on the 
stall' of Prof. G. Brown Goode, the International Fishery Exhibition 
held at Berlin, Germany, in 18S0, I was instructed by Prof. Spencer F. 
Baird, United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, to make one or 
more cruises on a first-class beam trawler, if it wasfouud practicable to 
do so. The object in view was that a practical study of the beam-trawl 
fishery might be made, and as much information gathered of its details 
as would enable me to prepare a report sufficiently full and explicit to 
convey to American fishermen a comprehensive idea of the apparatus 
used and the methods of fishing. Professor Baird, being fully cogniz- 
ant of the importance of the beam-trawl fisheries of Europe, and having 
in mind the enormous extent of the fishing grounds to which citizens of 
the United States have access, deemed it desirable that this should be 
done. The result of my studies of the British beam trawl fishery, then 
and subsequently, has been given in the preceding pages, to which the 
following account of a cruise in a Grimsby trawler may, perhaps, be ap- 
propriately added. 

Leaving Berlin on the evening of June 20, 1880, with Professor 
Goode and his private secretary, Mr. Julius E. Rockwell, we reached 
Flushing the following evening, and arrived in London on the J-d. 
On the next day after our arrival, Professor Goode and myself met Mr. 
Spencer Walpole, now lieutenant-governor of the Isle of Man, but then 
nspector of British salmon lis heries, who very kindly gave us the bene- 
fit of his knowledge and advice in regard to the best locality to visit in 
order to gain definite information of the beam-trawl fishery. This he 
decided to be Grimsby, at the mouth of the Humber River, and which 
is one of the most important fishing stations in (heat Britain. He also 



374 BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

provided me with a letter of introduction to Mr. Harrison Mudd, a gen- 
tleman largely interested in the fisheries of Grimsby, and who held the 
official position of a town counselor of that port. 

Passage for New York had been, provisionally, taken for our party 
on the North German Lloyds steamship NecJcar, which was booked to 
sail from Southampton July 6, and it was thought that if I could get away 
on a trawler within a day or two there would be ample time to make a 
short cruise— long enough to get an idea of the fishery— and for me to 
reach Southampton soon enough to join the rest of our party on the 
Keckar, though this was only a secondary consideration, which was not 
to interfere at all with my trip. Accordingly, I left London next morn 
ing (June 24), and reached Griinsbj the same day. After some delay 
1 had the gratification of meeting with Mr. Mudd, who, having been 
made aware of the object of my visit, assured me in the kindest manner 
that he would aid me all he could in procuring a chance to go out on a 
trawler. It is proper that acknowledgment should be made here of 
the obligation I am under to this gentleman, who interested himself to 

get me a berth on a y 1 vessel, and to whose courtesy I am much 

indebted for any success which may have been obtained in gaining 
a knowledge of the beam trawl fishery. 

No trawlers were sailing that evening on which Mr. Mudd thought I 
ought to go, but In- believed it probable some might go out the follow- 
ing day. Ee thought it would not be advisable— as my time was so 
limited— for me to go out on a "single-boater." which might be gone 
two or three weeks ; neither would he advise that a cruise should be 
made on a cutter bound to the "steamer fleet," which at that time was 
working off the German coast, some ."-hD miles or more distant from 
Grimsby, since, with the prevailing light winds, the vessel might be 
nearly a week in reaching the fishing ground and the licet with which 
she worked.' The best chance foi' me, if was considered, would be to 
go out on a smack that was lo join one of the small "cutter fleets" on 
ilie Dogger Bank, which would probably be reached in twenty-four 
hours with favorable winds ; thus 1 might have several days on the 
fishing ground, observe the method of working the beam trawl, etc., 
and return by another vessel in time to reach Southampton and sail on 
the Neclcar. The smack Willie aiid Ada was fitting out to join one of 
the cutter fleets. Mr. Mudd thought she would sail the next day, and 
he assured me 1 could have a chance on her whenever she went to sea. 
1 learned, however, on the, following day which was Friday, June 25) 
that the Willie and Ada would not sail before the Monday following, 
because of the accidental sinking of her boat in the dock, by which mis- 
hap two of her crew were nearly drowned and rendered quite unfit, for 
a day or two, to go to sea. As no other smacks were sailing to the cut- 
ter fleets before Monday, either from Grimsby or Hull — as was ascer- 
tained later — there was nothing to do but to wait. 

In the interim, there was an opportunity to note the various phases 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION 375 

of the fish trade as conducted at Grimsby, which differ considerably from 
the methods adopted in the United States. In a previous paragraph 
the statement lias been made that Grimsby had little importance as a 
fishing port previous to 1858, when beam-trawling was first introduced. 
And for many years previous to 1800 the harbor was practicallj closed to 
navigation by the accumulation of mud and sill at its mouth, which, in 
the reign of Charles I, became so formidable " that the smallest fishing 
vessels could with difficulty approach the town." At present it lias sev- 
eral large docks, two of which are exclusively devoted to the fish erics, and 
known as the old and new '-fish docks." These Lave a total area of 23 
acres, with a market attached (on what isiocally known as the "pontoon") 
1,600 feet in length ; on one side of which the smacks lay and discharge 
their cargoes, while on the other side stand the railway cars, or "fish 
vans," upon which are sent away to Billingsgate and other markets the 
fish that are constantly arriving'. These facilities for receiving, pack- 
ing, and shipping fish are as excellent as they are unique, and have 
resulted in an increase of the fish trade of Grimsby from between 4,000 
and 5,000 tons in 1858 to over 73,000 tons in 1882, while it is claimed 
that the population has about trebled itself, and tin- fleet increased from 
a few small smacks to about eight hundred sail of the finest fishing 
vessels in Great Britain. 

The following statements relative to the fish trade of the port are 
vouched for by three of the largest firms in Grimsby, and uodoubt may 
be accepted as correct : 

"That Grimsby is unquestionably the largest and most promising 
fishing port in the kingdom may be seen by the follow ing facts. In the 
year 1853 there were but 12 fishing vessels in this port, and no facilities 
for the trade whatever. At the present time there, are 825 vessels be- 
longing to the port solely engaged in fishing, with an estimated regis- 
tered tonnage of 42,000, valued at £725,000, carrying 4,710 men and 
boys. Besides the above, the port is frequently visited by many Dutch 
and other fishing vessels for the sale of their cargoes. There are 50,000 
tons of ice imported annually, whicli is not only used by the smacks at 
sea. but for packing in the market, and is sent in various forms to all 
parts of the kingdom. 

■■The railway company has expended nearly half a million sterling 
in the making of docks and otherwise providing for the fishing trade, 
and are still extending and ever increasing. 

"From 2,000 to 20,000 live codfish, besides a large quantity of other 
fish, are kept ready for sale in boxes in the fishing dock. The advan- 
tages (offered to the trade) of Grimsby over other markets are found in 
the great variety, the constant supply, the means of storing fish alive, 
the many curing houses, the care and facilities given by the railway 
company, the superior quality by the adoption of steam trawlers and 
Barriers, and the ready and cheap supply of ice. 

"Extensive business is now carried on with the far north of Scotland, 



376 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Dublin, Belfast, Carmarthen, Plymouth, Torquay, Hastings, Brighton, 
the Isle of Wight, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Paris." 




ILL I S! I> in KISII I'M KHI1S. 

As tlif tide approaches nearly to its full, the dock gates are "pined, 
which is a signal for a busy and exciting scene. All is hurry and bus- 
tle on board of the smacks that are ready for sea, and which are rap 
idly gut under way and either sail or are towed out to sea through one 
of the entrance:; to the "fish dock," while through the other gate may 
be seen entering, one after the other, the vessels which have been hov- 
ering just outside— waiting for the rising tide — and whose signals and 
numbers have communicated to those on shore the welcome news of 
their arrival. Smacks from the "cutter'' and " bulking" fleets, "sin- 
gle-boaters," steam carriers from the " steamer " fleets, long-liners, hand- 
liners, freighters from Norway, some with lobsters others with fresh 
mackerel ; on they come, shooting through the narrow entrance, to 
quickly tind their berths in dock. On the pier-heads are gathered scores 
of men, anil occasionally women and children — if the day lie line — some 
waving a salute and wishing "good luck" to their departing friends, 
while others stand ready to give a greeting of welcome to the hardy fish- 
ermen returning, perhaps, from an absence of months. As the smacks 
arrive no time is lost in getting them into their respective berths, and 
if there be a considerable number they haul in and make fast, head on. 
to the "pontoon," upon which the cargoes are discharged with as little 
delay as possible. As the fish are taken out they are soiled according 
to their grades or the condition in which they arrive. For instance, 
the fish taken alive from the well of a smack, having first been knocked 
on the head to kill them, are laid out in rows according to their species. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES L-'1S1J COMMISSION. .'177 

or grade, while tbe "boxed" fish from tbe trawling Heels are sold in 
a in it her lot. No busier scene can be imagined than transpires here every 
day, ami considering the quantities of fish displayed one can not help 
being occasionally surprised at the prices they sell for. All tish are 
disposed of by a number of salesmen, each of whom is empowered by 
contract to sell the catch of a certain number of smacks, he receiving a 
percentage ou the sales for his services. Cod are sold by the score (that 
is, L'l) fish), and these, with halibut and ling, are knocked off to the high- 
est bidder ; trawled fish are, however, generally sold at Dutch auction, 
which is thus described by Uoldsworth : 

'•A lot of turbot, perhaps, is to be sold; the salesman's hell is rung 
and the stentorian voice of the auctioneer is heard calling out, 'Now 
then, turbot buyers, turbot buyers, turbot buyers, come along, ye tur- 
bot buyers. 1 A knot of people collects and the salesman descants in a 
few words on the quality of the fisli ; a price is named, no one responds, 




Fig. 24. Loading nsii vans. 



or indeed is expected to do so, for it begins loo high for any dealings; 
it comes down by degrees until a nod from one of the crowd closes the 
transaction, and the sale is booked. Then calls may !»■ made lor -sole 
buyers,' 'plaice buyers,' 'ling buyers,' or 'cod buyers,' and the work is 
rapidly got through, for there is no time to be wasted over individual 
lots where they are so many to lie sold, packed, and sent away as soon 
as possible." 

They are packed with ice in crates, barrels, ami in box ears, specially 
designed for the purpose, and shipped by swift-running trains to the 
various markets they are consigned to. 



378 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

All arrangements for the cruise having previously been made, I went 
on board the Willie and Ada, Capt. Henry Tidder, on Monday morning. 
June 28, and at 9 o'clock a. m., soon alter the dock gates were opened, 
our smack was shoved out beyond the pierheads, all sail was set, and, 
with a moderate southwest breeze and line weather, we left the Hum 
ber's mouth, passed Spurn Point, and headed away from the land to- 
ward that, famous fishing ground of the North Sea, the Dogger Bank, 
where we expected to meet with the fleet we were to join, and where 
our fishing operations were to be carried on. The. Willie and Ada was 
7-'!. US tmis register, ketch or " dandy" rigged, and manned by a crew of 
live, three of whom were men, the other two — the "fourth" hand or 
deck hand and cook — being boys of respectively seventeen and four- 
teen years of age.' The crew slept and ate in the cabin, which, consid- 
ering the number to be accommodated, was roomy and comfortable, being 
painted and grained, but differing from the cabins of modern American 
fishing schooners in being under deck, and in some details of arrange- 
ment. 

The wind died entirely away during the afternoon, and we lay be- 
calmed until evening, when a moderate breeze again sprang up from 
the southwest. The day was tine throughout, and was spent by me in 
gathering information concerning the construction of the beam trawl, 
the peculiarities of the vessel — so far as speed, ability in a gale, etc., 
were concerned — and in making sketches. 

Tuesday, June 29. — The wind continued moderate during the night, 
but, as it was fair, the vessel slipped along easily through the water, 
which was so smooth that scarcely any motion could be noticed unless 
one glanced over the side and saw the scintillating, phosphorescent 
sparkle of the sea go by as we glided through it. At 5 a. in. the cap- 
tain sounded and " struck the rough " on the Dogger Bank. Two hours 
later we spoke a homeward-bound cutter. Our skipper inquired the 
whereabouts of " Bascomb's lot," meaning the Beet we were to join, of 
which a captain by the name of Bascomb was "admiral." He was 
told that they were some three hours' sail — 15 or I'i miles — distant in 
the direction we had been going. We then resumed our course, and at 
9 o'clock a. in. the captain, who had been aloft at the mast brad looking 
out for " Bascomb's lot." came on deck and reported seeing two fleets 
nearly ahead. "We steered for the nearest Beet, which, however, did 
not prove to be the one we were in search of, but the skipper of one of 
the smacks which we hailed pointed to leeward and saiil : "That's 
Bascomb's lot, down there, I think." This proved to be the case, ami 
soon after the order was given to our crew to : •• (let up the trawl bridles 
and shackle them on." our skipper remarking, at the same time, "They 
have their gear down and 1 don't know how long it's been out." As 

'Details will In- avoided, since many facts tbat wen- originally included in these 

notes have I n given elsewhere, and also because mure or less details air shown in 

the illustrations. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 37!> 

we drew nearer the fleet tbe captain exclaimed : "Ah. there's tbe Clara 
with ber craydon [a small Hag for signaling] over her stern," and a 
moment later lie said: "Tbere's the admiral's Hag; we'll steer for 
him." It may he explained that in this instance the admiral's vessel 
was distinguished by a Hay Hying on a stay extending from her bow- 
sprit end to the main-topmast head. 

After the usual hail of, " What cheer.' oh. what cheer, my hearty ?" 
our skipper shouted the inquiry, •• How long you're going to tow '." to 
which the admiral replied : " Oh, till about 1 o'clock." 

It was then shortly after noon. A moderately brisk southwest breeze 
was blowing, which continued with littlechaiige during the day. After 
receiving Admiral Bascomb's answer we tacked and ran back to the 
Clara, which belonged to the same owner as the Willie and Ada, and 
the skipper of which had hoisted his flag at the nrizzeu peak asa signal 
that he wished our captain to speak with him. We had brought out 
letters, outfits, etc., for this vessel, which had been absent from port 
several weeks, and her captain was naturally desirous of learning the 
news from home, as well as to obtain some additions to his food sup- 
ply. However, we did not stop to g 1 board of her at this time, for 

immediately after speaking with the admiral and learning that lie 
would "tow till 4 o'clock," our skipper remarked: "Then we've got 

four hours ; we'll put it out." aning the trawl, of course. All hands 

were busy at work in tiie mean time getting ready to shoot the trawl. 
The bridles had been shackled to the trawl heads, and now the towing 
hawser was got up and shackled to the bridles; the dandy bridle 
hauled off the winch, made ready for running, and bent on to the trawl- 
warp. While this was being done we had reached the Clara, and as 
we passed under her lee our skipper shouted: "What cheer.' what 
cheer, my boy .' I've got something for you." It seemed to be under- 
stood by the Clara's crew that they must wait for a more favorable 
opportunity to get what we had for them, and the assurance that we 
had " something " seemed to satisfy them for tbe time being. 

Being curious to know if there was any choice in selecting a berth 
for fishing among the various vessels which formed the fleet, 1 asked 
our skipper the question : " Where will you shoot the trawl ?" lie re- 
plied: "Ob, any place where we can get it out." The inference is that 
no judgment is exercised be\ond that of getting sufficient room (or far 
enough from other vessels) to tow the gear without danger of collision. 
Accordingly, a few minutes after speaking with the Clara, the trawl 
was shot from the port side. After it was down, the warp parceled and 
put in its proper place, so that the vessel, with tiller swinging, headed 
about at right angles with the wind, all hands went below and turned 
in for a nap except the oldest boy — eotumonlj called the "deck band," 
or "fourth hand" — who staid on deck to lookout for the vessel, note 
tbe working of the trawl, and watch for the admiral's signals. 

A little after 3 o'clock p. m. the boy on deck shouted that tbe ad- 



380 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

mini] was hauling', and the crew tumbled out of their bunks, hurriedly 
pulled on their heavy leather boots, and, jamming their hats or sou- 
westers on their heads, ran on deck and began to get up the trawl. 1 
The process was an interesting study for me, as I then saw it for the 
first time. I assisted in the work, heaving on the capstan and helping 
the skipper to get the dandy bridle in and the alter end of the trawl- 
beam up to the vessel's stern. 

We had been towing over ground which was more or less rocky, ami 
which is known to the fishermen by the technical name of "The 
Rough," so that when they are fishing on such bottom, which they some- 
times do in summer because fish are more abundant there than else- 
where, they call it " working The Rough." As a result of our " work- 
ing The Rough *' on this occasion, the trawl had been badly torn, which 
mishap was first announce:! while the net was being gathered in ; the 
second hand exclaiming, in a somewhat disheartened voice: "She's all 
gone to sinither ends!" The lip was not quite so bad, however, as 
was at first expected: and about ,".011 pounds of fish still remained in 
the "cod-end," which was hoisted on board, and the catch let out on 
deck. In this small lot there were many varieties, chief among which 
were turbot, sole, "cock" sole i which is a different species from the com- 
mon sole, Solea solea), plaice, cod, hake, ling, gurnard, goosefish or 
monk fish (Lophhis), besides a large number of star fishes, anemones, 
sea corn (eggs of whelks), and sea pears, which, together with small 
rocks, and more or less sea grass and shells, made up a very interesting 
collection, though it was not •■ fishy " enough to have any special merit 
or attraction for the smack's crew. 2 

As soon as the trawl was emptied of its contents the (stay) foresail 
was hoisted and the vessel filled away by the wind, the fourth hand 
took the, helm and was ordered to " keep her along alter the fleet," 
which was then to windward of our vessel, working up for a new berth. 
(See Fig. 23.) The skipper, second, and third hands went to work to 
mend the net, but when this job was well advanced the mending was 
continued by the two former, while "Tom." the third hand, was or- 
dered to •' bos the fish " ; which order implied that he should dress and 
pack in boxes such as were marketable, aboul two thirds of the lot. 
and throw the remainder overboard. In this instance, however, only 
the hake, turbot, cod, and haddock were dressed — that is, eviscerated : 
the others were simply washed before being packed, but were not 
gutted. 

In the mean time the diminutive cook was actively employed in the 
cabin preparing supper, which all seemed glad to partake of; the ap 

'The 1,1,1,1ns operandi ol heaving up a beam-trawl, as c Incted on this occasion, 

lias been described in < 1 e I : u I in the paragraphs on methods if fishing, page 342 of this 
report. 

- In subsequent hauls several other species of fish were taken, among which may 
'"■ ineuti -il pollack (coalfish), whiting, catfish or wolf-tish, dab-,, flounders, 

skates, etc. 



Ul.'LLETIN OK Till: UNITED STATES I'isii COMMISSION. 1581 

petitesof tlie crew Laving been sharpened somewhat by the vigorous 
exercise of heaving up the trawl. 

Having worked to windward for about two or tlnee hours, the trawl 
was shot again at S p. m. This time the vessel was on the starboard 
tack and the trawl was •• shot around the stern." This was a new feat- 
ure of the business, and, as the weather was Hue, an excellent oppnr- 
tunity was afforded to note all the details. Alter the tiawl was down 
the watch was set and the rest tinned in. 




i I ' I . i ! : \ II 



Wednesday, June 30. — All hands were called out to heave up the gear 
at 1 o'clock a. m. 1 had staid up late the previous evening to gain some 
additional information about trawling, and to watch the fleet as the 
vessels worked slowly along, the bright lights of the smacks being 
plainly discernible in the hazy darkness of the summer's night, as the 
vessels rose and fell in the long undulating swell of the North Sea. 
Therefore, though it was bright sunlight at the time the admiral sig. 
naled to "haul trawls,"' I was fust wakened by the skipper shouting to 
the tiled and sleepy third hand: ••Von Tom! You Tom! come, rouse 
out here and haul!" Out we tumbled and on deck, where the cranks 
were already shipped on the capstan; the hatch off, and down in the 
hold, ready to coil away the trawl-warp, was the small boy, who not 
only officiates in the capacity of cook but must always be promptly on 
hand to assist wherever his services are required. All hands fell to 



382 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

with a will, the skipper tacked the vessel back and forth, " working up 
over the gear,'' while the clank, clank, clank of the capstan told that 
the trawl-warp was being rapidly got on board. 

The catch on this occasion did not exceed over 200 pounds weight of 
marketable fish, though nearly everything was saved, including skate, 
dabs, and cattish. As in this case, however, the net had not been torn, 
the skipper ottered, as a reasonable explanation of the small catch, the 
statement that there was little or no wind during much of the past 
night, consequently the vessel could not tow the traw 1 fast enough over 
the bottom to catch any fish— in fact, for much of the time, we iiad been 
doing little else than drifting with the tide in a calm. In the morning 
the wind breezed up quite briskly, and continued fresh throughout the 
day. 

After the trawl was up. all sail was set and the smack worked to 
windward to join the rest of the fleet, which had not drifted quite so 
much to leeward during the night. .Meanwhile, the fish were "boxed," 
and it was announced that one of the smacks, which had her "craydon" 
flying, would leave the fleet this morning for home, after the catch of 
the other vessels for the previous day and night had been put on board 
of her. 

It is difficult to imagine a more lively and inspiriting nautical scene 
than was presented on this summer's morning by the little licet to which 
our cutter belonged, and the center of which was the homeward-bound 
craft, lying to, with her tlag living. All around her were collected 
tl ther vessels Of the fleet, standing back and forth under all sail, 

their heavy square-headed gaff-topsails aloft to catch the breeze; boats 
passing to and fro going to the "carrier" to take their fish, to send 

letters, etc., visiting other vessels of the tleet, recently out from the 
land (one of which was our smack), to hear the news from home, obtain 
letters, and secure supplies that had been sent to them. The pictures! pie 
tanned sails, gleaming blood red in the sunlight, the shouting back and 
forth between the crews of the different vessels as they came within 
hail, were additional interesting characteristics of the scene. 

On our own vessel the boat had been launched stern foremost over 
the lee side. As soon as she struck the water one man sprang into her, 
and to him weie passed the few " trunks" of fish we had caught, these 
being dropped or roughly stowed in the middle of the boat. A second 
man then jumped into the boat, and when the proper time arrived she 
was cast off and pulled away for thecarrier smack to discharge the fish. 
'• Hoarding the fish," as it is called, on this occasion, when the sea was 
smooth and only a moderate breeze blowing, was a very tame affair com- 
pared with such work when the weather is rough. Many wonderful 
tales are told by the fishermen of hair breadth escapes from drowning 
while engaged in transporting their fish from their vessels to the carrier, 
and considering that this work is done in almost all kinds of weather, 
one can easily believe that it is extremely hazardous, to say the least. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 38.'5 

The catch being small ou this occasion the boating was soon finished, 
the crews returned to their respective vessels, the admiral showed his 
signal for saiiing, and as the fieet stood off, close-hauled for the fishing 
ground, then' companion, the homeward-bound cutter, sel all sail and 
filled away for Grimsby. 

1 sent a letter by her to Professor Goode, in London, and decided to 
stay out until the next carrier went in. 

The fleet kepi under full sail, working to windward about two hours, 
when, at 111 o'clock a. m., the trawls were shot where the ground was 
rather rocks . 

Alter towing about: an hour our trawl caught afoul of the bottom, so 
as to stop the vessel entirely. We hove il up and found it had swepl 
an old anchor weighing about 150 pounds that was still hanging to the 
net, which had been so badly torn by it that all the fish, if there were 
any in the trawl, had made their escape. This was rather discourag- 
ing to the crew, the members of which, however, took the mattei rather 
cooly, and with far less grumbling than one might naturally expect, 
they pulled in the net and began to mend it. As soon as the repairs 
were completed, the trawl was put out again, but misfortune again 
awaited us, for in about an hour and a half it got fastened to the bottom, 
and it was necessary to heave it up. By this time several other vessels 
of the fleet were seen in the same predicament, and, perhaps on the 
principle that " misery loves company," our crew seemed to derive a 
certain sort of grim satisfaction from the tact that they were not the 
only ones having ill luck, and it was thought that when so many of the 
fleet met with this mishap the admiral would lose faith in " working 
The Rough." 

When it was up, we found the trawl badly split ; indeed, in this in- 
stance, it would have been no exaggeration to say it was "all gone to 
smither ends"; and live or six plaice, that were jammed in the pockets, 
constituted its entire contents. The skipper, second and third hands 
turned to again to repair damages, and as the rest of the licet hove up 
their gear about the same time, we all filled away and stood along by the 
wind until S p. m., when, in obedience to the admiral's signal, the trawl 
was shot in 20 fathoms. We had previously fished in from L8 to 2;1 
fathoms, and for the most part, as has been indicated, on rough ground. 
Capt. Tidder believes that little can be done " working The Rough," 
even where fish are comparatively plenty, since the gear is liable to 
much damage, and may possibly be rendered entirely useless. Spare 
trawl nets, beams, heads, etc., are carried on the smacks to replace 

losses which may occur, but it is evident that si Id these be unusual 

even all the spare gear may be destroyed and the vessel compelled to 
leave the ground and go in for more. This rarely happens, so far as 
could be learned. 

The day was spent by me, like its predecessors on this trip, in taking 
notes and making sketches, varied by assisting the men to heave up 



384 BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

tbe gear, ami steering wben it was necessary For all the others to be at 
work. 

Thursday, July 1. — At 3.45 a. m. the watch came below, called the 
skipper, and told him that the admiral was hauling. As the skipper 
I umbled out of his berth lie gave a quick glance around to see if all of 
the crew weic up. His eye rested on the third hand, who, having been 
on watch all the lirst part of the night, was naturally very sleepy, and 
was still slumbering in profound unconsciousness of the admiral's ol- 
der. But the sleeping man was quickly brought to a realizing sense of 
the situation, and swarmed out of his berth in obedience to the order 
of the skipper, who shouted in stentorian tones: " You Tom. hero; 
rouse out here and haul the trawl." All hands were on deck and at 
work in a remarkably brief space of time. No minutes are wasted in 
preparing for the day's duties; there is no stopping to wash, not the 
faintesl attempt at personal cleanliness, even the boy cook is begrimed 
with coal dust, smoke, and soot : it is evident that little is thought of 
refinement, even such as may be obtained from a dip in a bucket of 
salt water. The main idea is to eatchfish, and the toil and hardship in- 
cident to this vocation, the necessity that always exists for tumbling out 
"all standing," and rushing on deck, serves to make these men — as 
well as all other fishermen, the world over— rather indifferent while 
fishing to the simplest tonus of neatness, which to people on land arc 
considered indispensable. 

When, in obedience to the call to work, as on this occasion, til.' hall- 
wakened fisherman s| rings out of his bunk to the cabin floor, he real, 
i/.es, first of all, the necessity of getting on deck with the least possible 
delay; therefore, with eyes still half closed, he -ropes for his boots, 
pulls them on. snatches his hat from some convenient place where it 
has been put. and jams it on his head. This, if the weather be line, 
completes his equipment, but, if it is stormy, oil clothes are also donned. 
In either ease, the least possible time must be occupied, and frequently 
the men are not fairly awake until alter they reach the deck. 

When the end of the trawl-warp was inside the roller, the skipper 
looked over the vessel's side and exclaimed, "She's capsized again!" 
meaning that the trawl was upset, which he could easily tell by the 
bridles being crossed. 

It was explained by the skipper, in answer to my inquiry, that the 
capsize was caused by the vessel, when working up to the -ear, bring- 
ing the war]) taut in the opposite direction from which the trawl was 
being towed over the bottom. This turned the trawl over on its back, 
brin-iii- the beam underneath, and a twist in the bridles, since the for 
ward end of the beam is alt ; the position can therefore be told as soon 
as the upper ends of the bridles are in. The dandy bridle was cast oil' 
the trawl-warp, and a stopper put on the after bridle, which was then 
unshackled. By passing the ends of these around the forward bridle, 
outside of the smack's rail, the turns were taken out so that they led 
clear. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH commission. 385 

The dandy bridle was then taken over the taffrail (through the chock) 
andledtothe daudy winch; when the bridle was hove taut and the 
trawl beam turned end for end and swung into its proper position, alter 
which it was hove up in the usual way. 

The catch of fish was small this morning, am ting only to two 

trunks of plaice, one trunk of mixed fish— cod, small haddock, skate, 
a coDger eel — and one or two turbot in number, a little over 300 pounds 
weight in all. The fishermen agree in saying that the catch so far this 
trip is unusually light, though at this season fish arc generally scarce 
in this region. They tell of catching 4,000 and 5,000 pounds of fish a 
day, and mention instances when as many as 1(1,(10(1 pounds have been 
taken at a single haul, the species captured on these occasions beiug 
chiefly haddock. 

When the trawl was up we "made sail" — that is, got under way — and 
stood along a short distance to join the rest of the fleet now gathered 
around the smack Sobriety, which was the next to sail lor Grimsby. 
The morning's catch of the fleet was put on board of her, and I learned 

that she would sail the next day lor market, providing fish e gh were 

taken in the mean time to complete her cargo. 

There was a brisk northerly breeze in the morning with light rain, 
but the wind moderated considerably during the forenoon and it stopped 
raining about !• a. m. 

At It a. m. we shot the trawl around the stern in Id fathoms of water 
and towed away to the westward on the starboard tack. At I p. m. the 
gear was got on board again, and about 200 pounds of fish were found 
in the trawl, most of which were plaice. 

Wc then stood along by the. wind on the starboard tack, heading 
about northwest, until 8 p. in., when the trawl was shot for the night, 
the vessel still heading westerly. On this occasion the trawl- warp was 
taken around the smack's bow instead of being hauled under her bot- 
tom, as it formerly had been. This was done to prevent it from being 
chafed, also that it might be in a position to bring (he vessel in stays 
in ease we met with other smacks during the night towing in an op- 
posite direction. 

Friday, July 2. — A little after midnight — about 12.15 a.m. — I was 
awakened to see the vessel wear around while towing the trawl. 1 The 
object of this maneuver is generally to change the tack with the turn 
of the tide, and thereby tow the trawl back nearly over the same ground 
it passed across during the first of the night. Or, perhaps, as on this 
occasion, it is done to keep clear of rough bottom, which the lead gives 
warning of. A smack can, of course, be tacked around with the trawl 
out, as has been mentioned, and this can lie done quicker and easier 
than to wear, but unless the conditions are favorable the trawl is very 
liable to be upset. 

i The manner of " wearing a trawl around" has been described in the chapti 
Methods of Fishing. 

Bull. U. S. F. C, 87 25 



386 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

There was a brisk westerly bneze iu the morning with tine clear 
weather, but later in the day the wind moderated slightly and there 
were light showers of rain in the evening. 

The trawl was hauled at 5 a. m. and, though it was torn considerably, 
there were about 1.2(H) pounds of fish in the "cod." These were chiefly 
small haddock, such as the New England fishermen call "scrod" had- 
dock. According to the skipper, we "struck The Rough" about half 
an hour before we began to heave up the trawl, which accounted for 
its being torn. 

Most of the vessels in our fleet got fair catches of fish this morning, 
compared with what they had previously taken, and not a few of them 
had their nets torn. After the trawls were up, and while the crews 
were busy dressing and boxing the fish and repairing damages to the 
gear, the lleet tilled away and beat to windward to regain the position 
where they began fishing last evening. The catch was not sufficiently 
large to complete the cargo of the Sobriety, and consequently she did 
not start for market to-day. But 1 concluded, however, to change my 
quarters, and when the boat left the Willie and Ada to transfer the 
morning's catch of fish I went in her, on board of the Sobriety, where 
I was welcomed by I he captain and crew, and where 1 staid for the 
remainder of my cruise. 

[t was an interesting sight to witness, from this point of view — on 
board of the carrier — the various phases of boarding the fish which 
have been alluded to elsewhere. Along the lee side of the Sobriety 
were crowded the boats of the lleet, the crew of some of them actively 
engaged in getting their fish on deck, upon which was gathered a 
group of hardy fishermen belonging to the other vessels, and who, now 
their fish were on board and their boats dropped astern, were inter- 
changing news, chatting the newcomers, and apparently enjoying this 
break in the monotony of their lives on board their own vessels. 

The crew of the cutter which takes the fish in generally hare to stow 
the boxes below and ice them, putting down alternate layers of trunks 
Offish and ice. the latter being ground fine in a mill which each smack 
of the fleet is provided with. Sometimes the carrier's crew receive as- 
sistance from the n belonging to the other vessels, who. after they 

have discharged their boats and deposited their bills of lading in the 
companion, lend a Hand to ret the trunks below deck. When, however, 
all the vessels in a "cutter fleet" are sharing alike, each receiving an 
equal portion of the catch, no tallies are put on the trunks of fish and 
no bills of lading are needed. 

At 1.30 p. m. the admiral signaled to ••shoot the gear," and accord- 
ingly the trawl was put out. But it got caught upon the bottom soon 
after it was down, and we had to heave it up and repair the damage 
which the net had sustained. As this took some time it was decided 
by our skipper that it would scarcely pay to make another shot during 
the afternoon, and as several other smacks met with a similar mishap. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 387 

and none of them put out their gear after repairing it. they all gath- 
ered around a vessel just out from home, and the skippers went on 
board of her to learn the news and inquire for letters. As our captain 
was going, too, I joined him and spent two or three hours very pleas 

antly, learned some new facts al t beam-trawling, ami was gratified 

to find the fishermen communicative and intelligent, many of them pos- 
sessing a comprehensive knowledge of the business in which they were 
engaged, and some having considerable general information. 




Fig. 2(5. Visiting. 

I did some sketching to day, but, owing to the prevalence of rainy 
weather since the cruise began, there have been few opportunities for 
securing sketches. 

Saturday, July 3.— There was a fresh southwest breeze in the morn- 
ing— a head wind for Grimsby, which materially decreased my chances 
of reaching Southampton to join the Weckar. 

We began to heave up the trawl at 2.30 a, in., and at 5 o'clock it was 
alongside. About 800 to 1,000 pounds of fish were taken on this haul. 
After the trawl was up the smack filled away, and stood along to the 
westward, by the wind, with the rest of the licet in company, until the 
fish were ready to put on hoard the Sobriety, when we hove to and 
waited for the morning's catch to be "boarded." 

Several of the skippers, among whom was Captain Tidder, came 
aboard the Sobriety to bid me good bye. and to wish me a sale, and 
speedy passage home. From all of these men I received uniform kind- 
ness and courtesy, while they have shown a willingness to give me all 
the information possible concerning their vocation. 

As soon as the fish were all aboard our guests took their leave, our 
smack filled away, all sail but the jib-topsail was set, and we headed 
along about west by south, close hauled on the port tack. When the 
fish were all below anil iced the bobstay was hooked on and hove taut, 



388 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

and tlie jib topsail set. This was at 11 a. in., at which time the wind 
was moderating, and it gradually decreased until it finally led calm in 
the evening. 

Sunday, July 4. — Began with light northerly breeze and drizzling 
rain. Wind increased, at 1 a. in., to a fresh breeze, and alter 11 a. m- 
it blew strong and squally. 

At 4.30 a. in. we made the land a short distance ninth (if Flambor- 
ough Head, which is 30 miles from Grimsby, and at 11 o'clock we 
passed Spurn Point. Alter rounding the point we took in the gaff-top- 
sails and big jib, set the small jib, and took a leef iu the mainsail and 
inizzen, thus putting the vessel under easy sail to wait for the rising 
tide to reach its full. No vessel can enter theGrimsbj docks until the 
signal is hoisted — an hour or so before high water — which, on this oc- 
casion, was displayed a little before L' p.m. 

In the mean time we lay by off the harbor's mouth, slowly reaching 
back and forth in company with several other inward-bound vessels. 
Shortly alter the signal was run up we shot into the dock, and the 
Sobriety soon lay securely moored iu her berth, ready to discharge on 
the following morning. 

1 immediately sent a telegram to Professor Goode, acquainting him 
with my arrival at Grinisby, and stating the hour when 1 should be in 
London on the following day. 

In the evening I called on Mr. Mudd and informed him of my return 
and of the success which had attended the cruise. 

Monday, July 5. — ] reached London at noon, and joined Professor 
Goode: the same evening we arrived at Southampton, in ample time 
to secure our berths on the Nechar, which was expected the following 
day. 

II.— NOTES ON Till: BEAM-TRAWL FISHERS OF CONTINENTAL EUROPE. 

A. France. 

Though beam-trawling is prosecuted to a considerable extent by the 
French, this fishery has not assumed, in fiance, anything like the im- 
portant proportions which it has attained in Great Britain. No statis- 
tics are available showing to what extent tin beam trawl fisherj has 
been carried on in France; but when it is stated, on the authoritj of 
Mods. A. Duchochois, of Boulogne, that only twenty five sailing trawl- 
ers go out from that important fishing port, and that fiance has no 
steam trawlers, some idea may be gained of the status of this fishery. 

l. Fishing Grounds. 

The fishing grounds of the North Sea audi lie English Channel are 
visited by the French trawlers, in common with the English, though it 
is probable the former keep nearer the continental coast than the En- 
glish do. 



Bull U S. F. C. 1887 (To fa i page 388 ) 



Plate XXill. 




Trawlers in the Fish-dock at Grimsby. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 389 



2. Vessels. 

Smacks arc used for beam-trawling; these cany crews of eight men 
each. Some of them arc ketch-rigged, but others are cutter-rigged, 
carrying only a single mast. 

:;. Apparatus. 

The beam-trawls used by the French have the same general features 
as these employed by the English, which have been fully described. 

"In the French trawls the net is very much shorter in proportion to 
the length of the beam : ii tapers regularly to the end, has no distinct 
cod, as in the English nets, and the rubbing pieces extend across the 
under side of the trawl for some distance from the end, which is specially 
protected from chafing by having a stent hide underneath." 1 

The ground rope is sometimes weighted with chain that is fastened 
to it in festoons, similar to the plan adopted by Belgian fishermen. 

The same pattern of head iron that is used by the English is also. 1 
am informed, now most generally adopted by French fishermen. At 
the time Holdsworth wrote, other forms were in favor in fiance to a 
considerable extent, though he mentions that even then the Brixham 
pattern was used. 



ink 





Fig. '.'7. Fig. 28. 

Fkencii Trawl-heads (alter Holdsworth). 

Concerning these peculiar forms of trawl-heads he writes as follows : 
"Among other varieties of trawl head maybe mentioned those we 
have found used by some of the French trawlers, and the noticeable 
feature in them is that the beam is placed so near the front of the head 
as to require the tow-rope to be fixed very low to prevent the fore part 
of the shoe burying itself in the ground. This is further guarded 
against in one variety [see Fig. 27] by the additional length of the 
frame behind the beam. There appears to be a. want of balance in 
these French irons which is not the case with those used by our own 
fishermen. No doubt there is some degree of fancy in Hie shapes 
adopted; but the English irons strike one as better adapted for their 
work. a.nd the Brixham pattern is now being much used by the French 
trawlers. By means of these irons the trawl-beam is kept nearly •'! feet 
above the ground, so that it neither touches nor causes any disturbance 

I leep S.'u Fishing, etc., p, CI. 



390 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

of the bottom whatever; its sole use is to extend tlie mouth of the net, 
and if it were to touch the ground, as many persons believe it does, it 
would effectually frighten away the fish and prevent their going into 
the net." 1 

4. Methods of Fishing. 

The methods of fishing, so far as shooting and hauling the trawl are 
concerned, arc essentially the same, according to M. Duchochois, as 
those adopt d by Euglish fishermen. 

I>. Belgium. 2 

According to M. Jules Le Lorrain, there are about 222 vessels em- 
ployed in the beam-trawl fisheries from Belgium; 170 of these sailing 
from Ostend and the remaining 52 from Heyst and Blaukenberghe. 
There are also 22 small boats, commonly called " sloops," engaged in 
this fishery on the Belgian coast. The foregoing will give an idea of 
the importance of the trawl-fishery of Belgium, though it should be 
stated that some of the vessels do not. like the English, pursue this busi- 
ness throughout the year, but frequently engage in other branches of 
the fisheries. 

l. Fishing Grounds. 

The fishing grounds resorted to are essentially the same asthoseupon 
which the English pursue their work in the North Sea. 

2. Vessels. 

The vessels employed in beam-trawling from Belgium are of two 
classes. The larger and more important type SO closely resembles the 
English katch-rigged trawler thai the description given of the latter 
will apply as well to the Belgian smack, which diners from the other 
chiefly in having less rake to her stem post, and, perhaps, in a less 
elaborate equipment for working the gear. A capstan exhibited in the 
Belgian section at London was of the old-fashioned type, and as this 
was intended to represent the kind used for heaving up beam-trawls, 
it is evidently far less effective than the improved and powerful cap- 
stans carried on English trawlers. 

The other class of Belgian Haulers are large, open, clinker built 
boats, very wide, with round bilge and fiat bottom. They have a pecu- 
liar lug rig, average about 20 tons, and, like the " bomsckuiten" of Hol- 
land, are specially designed for fishing from a coast where harbors are 
not easily accessible. 



1 1 >eep Sea Fishing, etc., pp. 5" 

> The statements made here relative to the Belgian beam-trawl fisheries are based 
partly upon a study of models of vessels and lull .sized apparatus exhibited :it the 
International Fisheries Exhibition, Loudon, 1883, and partly upon information very 
kindly furnished by Mons. Jules Le Lorrain, of Belgium. 



BULLETIN OP THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 391 

The vessels sailing from Ostein! carry each sis men in a crew, while 
four men is the average crew ou the Heysl and Blankeuberghe trawlers. 1 

3. Apparatus. 

Inmost essential particulars the trawls used on the larger class of 
Belgian trawlers are constructed on the same general plan as those em- 
ployed by the English. 

There are some differences, however, in details, as may be gathered 
from the following description of a trawl exhibited in the Belgian sec- 
tion at London. 

The foot of this net was first hung to a small hemp rope about the 
size of ordinary nine-thread ratline stuff. This small rope is seized, 
at intervals of six inches, to a larger hemp rope — about 1,' inches in 
circumference — and the latter is fastened, by galvanized irou-wire seiz- 
ings, to the foot-rope proper, which is 4f-inch manilla. Attached to 




Fig.29. Foot kope of Belgian tuawl. 



the ground rope, by stout iron rings, are festoons or loops of chain, the 
rings being G inches apart and there being five or six links of chain in 
each loop. Fig. i"J is a section of the foot ol a Belgian trawl, and 
shows this peculiarity of construction. This chain attachment is for 
the purpose of making the ground rope "bite" the bottom; that is, 
dig into it so as to disturb any tlat fish, like soles, for instance, that 
cling close to the ground and partially bury themselves. One would 
think, however, that this plan might be objectionable, because if tin- 
ground rope should be caught up on rough bottom, it seems probable 
that the trawl-warp would part before the chain, and, consequently, the 
whole gear would be lost. 

The Belgian trawl head (Fig. 30) has very nearly the same shape as the 
head-irons used by the Hull and Grimsby fishermen, differing chiefly 
from the latter in the after part of the curve, from the beam to the shoe, 
being of round iron instead of Hat, and in Inning the eye for the ground 
rope to bend into inside of the lower after corner instead of forming a 

1 Since the above was written steam trawlers have been built in Scotland for the 
Belgian fishery. 



392 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

projecting ear behind as in the English trawl head referred to, though 
in this respect it is .similar to the (English) "Barking pattern.'' 

The end of the beam projects several inches beyond the socket and 
is held in place by a stout iron key. Iron wedges are not used to secure 
the beam ends, as is customary in England. 




The following are the dimensions of the trawl-heads exhibited at Lon- 
don : Height (inside) or vertical diameter from top of shoe to lower part 
of beam, 2 feet <U inches: horizontal diameter, 3 feet 6 inches; shoe, 
I inches by I inch iron: front of head. 3 inches by ; inch iron; hack, 
1 \ inches diameter. 

The bridles wen- of four-stranded, 64-inch tnanilla rope. 

The trawl used, on the smaller craft, and which is pulled in by hand 
or by means of a small winch, is of a peculiar pattern, so far as the 
beam and trawl heads are concerned, the net itself having the same 
general appearance which is characteristic of this form of apparatus. 
The following is a description of one of these trawls exhibited at Lon- 
don : 




ri:.\wi,-m:.u>. bkam, et< ., used in-siiore. 



The beam was 21 feet long and 4 inches in diameter. In each end of 
it was fixed an iron bolt 3 or 1 inches long, which passed through a hole 
in the top of the head-iron, and was prevented from getting out of its 
socket by a rope which was tightly stretched along the top of the beam 
and fastened at each end to the top of the head-irons, one end of this 
rope being hauled tight by a small lanyard rove through roughly-made 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 393 

bulls eyes. The head iron is of a peculiar pattern, and an idea of its 
form can best be obtained from the illustration, Fig-. .31. A broad lower 
part or sole curves up in front like the runner of a sled, but about (i or 
8 niches above the grouud the "shoe" is joined to a round bar of iron, 
2 inches in diameter, which at the top is flattened slightly and perforated 
with two holes, one tor the beam iron and the other for the head rope. 
On the upper side of the sole or shoe is an eye, through which passes the 
ground rope, the end of which makes last to the round part of the head 
iron. The sole is 1 foot long where il rests on the ground, made of 4 
by 1", inches Hat iron. The head is :; feet :; inches high to the extreme 

top; the beam is raised about 2^ feet above the ground. The gr id 

rope of this trawl is fitted with chain festoons in the same manner as 
the larger Belgian trawl. 

In order to make this tow over the ground without upsetting, a short 
bridle or span is attached to each head iron; the lower part of this bri- 
dle (which is 4 feet 3 inches long and well parceled to prevent chafe) 
[lasses through a hole in the front part of the shoe 5 or (i inches above 
the grouud, being knotted on its end to prevent it from coming out; 
the upper part (3 feet 8 inches long) fastens around the head above the 
end of the beam. Beyond this span the bridle proper extends to the 
towing warp. 

I. Methods of Fishing. 

The methods of working the trawls on the larger class of Belgian 
vessels, according to M. Lorrain, are. the same as those employed on 
the English trawlers. 

The "single-boating" system is the only one followed, each vessel 
taking its own catch to market. Ice is carried for preserving the fish. 
The smacks from Ostend usually make trips of eight to ten days in 
length, while the lleyst and Blaiikenberghe craft rarely stay out more 
than one or two days. The fish are packed in boxes on board the ves- 
sels and brought to market in baskets. All the fish caught by the Os- 
tend boats are sold at that port and from thence they are distributed 
by the dealers. 

C. Holland. 

The fisheries of Holland are of a mixed nature, differing from those 
of most English ports in that the same vessels which follow herring 
fishing for a portion of the year may at other times engage in beam- 
trawling, or the beam-trawler of to-day may be employed in fishing with 
long lines to-morrow. It is therefore somewhat difficult to say precisely 
what is the relative importance of beam trawling among the fisheries 
pursued by the Dutch. That it is an important branch of the fisheries 
of Holland is well known. 

"Next to the herring fishery," says a Dutch writer, " the capture of 
fresh fish is the principal one in Holland. The fish are sometimes caught 
with hooks, but more frequently with trawls and other drag-nets. In 



394 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

this fishery all the ' bom&chuiten'' of the coast take part during the win- 
ter, and some of the lungers which carry on the herring fishery in sum- 
mer; also the fifty large vessels referred to above (as being employed 
a portion of the year in fishing for cod with lines), and all sorts of 
other vessels, great and small, hailing from the small towns along the 
coast." 1 

Assuming that there is probable truth in the belief held by some 
writers that the use of beam-trawls was first made known to the English 
fishermen by the Dutch who accompanied the Prince of Orange to 
England in Kiss, there is reason to believe that this system of fishing 
has long been practiced by the Netherlander. 

1. Fishing Grounds. 

While the larger vessels commonly fish in the Ninth Sea, the "bom- 
srhuitvn" usually cany on their work not far from the Dutch coast. 
Genrally the Dutch vessels resort to many of the same grounds tor 
trawling that are visited by the fishermen of the countries previously 
mentioned. 

2. Vessels. 

The larger class of vessels employed in beam-trawling are, as has 
been said, generally employed in herring fishing during the season 
when herring are most abundant in the North Sea. As the herring 
fishery is. par excellence, the most important of all the Dutch fisheries, 
the vessels are constructed and rigged with especial reference to their 
fitness for catching herring, while their adaptability to beam-trawling 
is, in most cases, considered of secondary importance. These vessels — 
the so-called luggers, or loggers — range from about 45 to 70 tons; they 
are not so sharp forward as the British smack; are nearly of the same 
relative proportions as to length, breadth, and depth, being possibly 
not quite so deep as the English craft. They are flush-decked, ketch 
or yawl rigged, and generally with mainmast arranged so that it can be 
lowered. They have an ordinary capstan that stands well aft — so as to 
be out of the way of the nets when herring fishing — and the trawl-warp 
leads over the side abreastof this capstan. Thew inches, "dummy," etc., 
that forma part of the deck equipmeut of a first-class English trawler, 
were not attached to the models of Dutch vessels exhibited at Berlin, 
18S0, or London, 18S3; therefore it may be assumed that these are not 
used. 

The "bom&chuiten" are a peculiar class of smaller fishing craft, de- 
signed especially for use on parts of thecoast w here harbors are not easy 
of access or where there are no harbors. They are made extraordinarily 
wide, being about two-thirds as broad as long, while the bottom is flat 
and constructed with especial reference to being hauled out on a beach 
or agaiu launched through the surf. They arc clinker-built, usually 
about 30 feet long, both ends shaped nearly alike, rounding yet almost 

'Introduction to tin- official catalogue of tin- Netherlands exhibit at Loudon, 1883. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATUS FISH COMMISSION. 39ft 

square on top; have Hush decks, and each carries a large capstan near 
tbe stern that is the motive power for getting on board two trawls 
which they use. They have a peculiar sort of yawl rig, supplemented 
occasionally by a small square topsail on the mainmast. 

3. Apparatus. 

The beam-trawls commonly used by the larger class of the Dutch 
vessels are about the same in all essential details as those used by 
English lishermeu. 




Fig. 32. Groen's trawl-head. 

A peculiar form of trawl-head iron, Fig. 32, was exhibited in the 
Netherlands department at London, 1883, by \V. Groeu, of Scheven- 
ingeu. This was the invention of the exhibitor, and was attached to a 
trawl-net designed for sole flshiug, such as is used by the bomschuiten, 
and which it is desirable to have pass easily over the ground. The idea 
is somewhat similar to that of de Caux's, but is less elaborate. 

This trawl-head is somewhat difficult to describe. The upper part is 
a square bar of iron, forked at the lower extremity to lit over the wheel, 
and having holes through the extremities for the axle of the wheel to 
pass through; the upper part of this iron is bent slightly backwards 
and broadened out somewhat to admit of holes being made in it, one 
for the end of the trawl-beam iron and others forthe bridle shackle and 
head rope. To the rear lower part is welded a sort of foot, recurved, 
extending over the back of the wheel and resting on the ground behind, 
being held in place by a stout U shaped iron clamp which passes around 
it and each end of which is bolted to the prongs of the head-iron, a little 
above the wheel axle. At the extremity of this foot, on top, is an eye for 
the ground rope of the trawl to pass through. The w heel itself is of hard 



396 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

wood, banded with iron, and at equal distances around it, uear the edge, 
are a number of holes. These holes are so placed for the purpose of 
stopping the wheel from revolving, if deemed desirable, by shoving a 
key through the prong of the iron into any one of the holes that chauces 
to be uppermost. A large shackle, one end of which is connected with 
the wheel by the axle bolt, comes in front of the wheel, and from this 
and the shackle at the top of the iron extends a short chain span that 
connects with a shackle at its end, to which also the bridle is attached. 
The following are some details of the measurements: Total height, 3 
feet 1 inch: diameter of wheel, 114 inches; thickness of wheel, 5 
inches; size of iron between wheel and beam, 1A by l.\ inches; hole for 
beam iron, If by g inches; lower part of foot is quite flat, Z\ bj jj 
inches; lower chain bridle, from axle of wheel, 1! feet 8 inches; upper 
bridle, 1 foot 10 inches. 

In this ease a Hat bar of iron is tittedinto the end of the beam (which 
is banded to prevent its splitting), and this iron, projecting beyond the 
beam, slips into an oblong hole at the upper part of the trawl-head. 




Fig. X\. Dutch trawl-head. 



The trawls ordinarily used by the bomschuiten have some peculiari- 
ties. The following is a description of oneof these trawls, exhibited at 
London, 1883: The beam is made of soft wood. 25IJ bet long, 3jj inches 
in diameter, backed by a square iron bar ; , ! inch square, which is seized 
to the beam. Projecting from the beam ends ate iron bats which pass 
through the holes in the top of the head-irons. The head-iron is .". feel 
high ; it is straight, small at the top, but with a heavy square toot that 
is 1<» inches high and 4 inches square, rounded on the lower front part 
so that it will slip over the bottom. (See Fig. 33.) Through this 
foot are two holes, one about in its center, from front to rear, for the 
lower part of the span to pass through, and the other transversely, near 
the lower extremity, for the ground rope to reeve through. The whole 
affair is simple and primitive. A rope span extends forward from the 
head, a huge thimble being seized in its bight, and into this thimble is 



BULLETIN OF TIIK UNITED STATES bTSU COMMISSION. 397 

bent the bridle. One end of this span fastens to the upper pail of the 
head-iron, and is 2 feet long; the other or lower pari of the span is 2 
feet 7 inches long, and passes through the foot of the head-iron and is 
held by a knot on the end of the rope. 



Fig. '■'• 1. Section of foi > r tti ipe 

The ground rope is in striking contrast to those used by British fish- 
ermen. It is a small sized hemp rope, scarcely larger than ai -h, and 

on it are strung, at distances of :>.\ inches between each two, a number 
of lead sinkers, these being li inches long and 1 inch in diameter, with 
holes through them sufficiently large to admit the rope. (See Fig. .'il ) 
The net itself does not differ materially from other trawl-nets. 

4. Methods of Fishing. 

The methods of fishing with beam-trawls on the larger Dutch vessels 
are essentially the same as those adopted by the English, so I am 
assured by Mr. A. E. Maas, of Scheveuiugen. Ilohlsworth says : " The 
same method of fishing is general on the coasts of Holland, Belgium, 
and Fiance; but the Dutch are peculiar in using two trawls at once, 
one being towed from the bow and the other from the stein of the 
vessel."' 

It is a question, he thinks, whether, taking the year through, much 
advantage is gained from this system, although undoubtedly large 
catches are made by it sometimes. It is possibly true that, at the time 

Holdsworth wrote, the Dutch were not using the large beam-trawls a 

single trawl to a vessel — as they now do in the, North Sea. His remark 
on the system of trawling pursued by the fishermen of the Netherlands 
applies more particularly to the " b(>mschuit<^>l,' , all of which, according 
to Mr. Maas, still use two trawls — each with a beam about 20 to 21 
feet long, of the. kind last described— one of which is put out from the 
stern and the other from the bow. The peculiar construction of the 
" bomschuiten " makes it possible for them to operate two trawls, though 
this might be found impracticable and unprofitable on vessels of the 
ordinary form. The "bomschuiten" are so modeled that, when their 
lee boards are up, they have a minimum of lateral resistance; there 
fore, when towing their gear, they slide off almost dead to leeward, drift- 
ing very much faster, of course, than a. deeper vessel would. With a 
fresh breeze of wind and a lee tide effective work may be done, but 
with the tide running to windward it is difficult to understand how these 
boats can work to advantage. 

All of the Dutch vessels take their own catch to market, and are what 
would be termed "single boaters" in England. The " bomschuiten n 



398 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

rarely stay out more than a day or two, but the. larger vessels make 
longer cruises, in most if not all cases bringing in a portiou of their fish 
alive and the rest in ice. 

D. Germany. 

Though trawling in various forms is quite extensively prosecuted by 
the Germans, beam trawl fishing proper has not assumed very impor- 
tant proportions as compared with this fishery in some other countries. 

1. Fishing Grounds. 

The. German trawlers fish chiefly, if not wholly, in the North Sea, 
but, as a rule, not tar from their own coast. As the shore soundings 
off the west coast of Prussia constitute some of the best of the North 
Sea lishing grounds, more especially in summer, there is no need for 
the German vessels to go such long distances from home ports as the 
English trawlers often do. But, since the larger trawling vessels often 
market their catch at English ports, they are placed in essentially the 
same position as the British trawlers, so far as nearness to fishing 
grounds is concerned. The small craft, of course, fish quite close to the 
land, but the larger vessels often go some distance off when the inshore 
fisheries are not profitable. 

Vess 

Among the most important types of beam-trawlers from Germany 
may be mentioned the luggers or "loggers" of Emden, and a peculiar 
ketch-rigged class of vessels that have been designed by lUaiikencsc 
builders. The first named of these were, like many of the Dutch trawl- 
ers, originally designed for the herring fishery, and. in fact, were either 
built in Holland or modeled alter the vessels of that country. They 
are about til) to 70 tons, rather lull, flush-decked, and ketch- rigged, the 
lower masts being somewhat longer than those of the English smack, 
and the mizzen inast a trifle farther forward. 

The Blankenese-built vessels are of a similar rig, but are sharper, 
and provided with a well for keeping their fish alive. The striking pe- 
culiarity of this type of craft is the shape of its bottom. Though a keel 
vessel, the lower part of the bottom, which is about half the width of 
the deck, is nearly flat and sharp at each end, like the bottom of an 
American dory. This flat section has flaring sides, that are 2 to 3 
feet high, and which ate joined to the upper part of the hull, that is 
shaped like the top of an ordinary vessel. It is claimed that these 
vessels arc swift and seaworthy, and that they have the special qualifi- 
cation of keeping their fish alive much longer than they can be kept in 
round-bottomed smacks. 

Several forms of sharp sterned decked boats are employed in trawl- 
ing along tlie German coast, though this can not in any way be called 
beam-trawling since the apparatus has no beam attached to it, and is 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES K1SII COMMISSION. .".'.I'.l 

must commonly operated by two boats working together, in a manner 
precisely similar to the method practiced by the Spanish fishermen for 
working t lie large " boa- net." 

Apparatus. 

The beam-trawls used on the German vessels are the same as those 
employed by English fishermen, the latter having been taken as the 
standard. 

4. Methods ot Fishing. 

The methods adopted by the Germans are like those of the English, 
as might naturally be expected, when it is stated that fishermen from 
the east coast of England Lave been employed by German firms to act 
in the capacity of experts or instructors in this branch of the fisheries. 

The vessels lish singly, each marketing its own catch, and on some 
occasions the fish have been sold in English ports. 

E. Spain. 

The use of the beam-trawl in Spain is. I think, of recent date, though 
other forms of trawls or drag-nets have long been employed in that 
country. 

One of the most common forms is worked by two boats, each of 
which is attached to and tows one wing of the net. This is used ex- 
tensively on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It is called a "bou 
net," or, sometimes, a "parella," or "parenzella." 

Of late years, however, several screw steam trawlers have been built 
in Scotland for the Spanish fisheries. These are, owned at San Sebas 
tian. They are fine, seaworthy, ketch-rigged vessels of 35 to 70 tons 
and well adapted for beam trawling, which they carry on chiefly in the 
Day of Biscay. 

1. The " Bou mi " on Parella. 

It is believed that t he •• parella," which is probably identical with 
the Italian parenzella, was invented in the sixteenth century. This 
name, according to Captain Commerma, means a pair in the Catalan 
lau.uua.ue. It is applied to a plow that two oxen are required to work, 
and likewise to this net, which is towed by two boats. The net has 
two long arms or wings, the lower edges of which are weighted with 
small sinkers, while the upper edges are raised from the bottom, ami, 
consequently, the mouth of the net is kept open by a number of cork 
floats. The arms are 130 meshes, or about 3\ fathoms deep (the size of 
mesh being 2 inches) and 7 fathoms long, the cork rope and ground rope 
having nearly the same curve; the body id' the net, from where it is 
joined by the wiugs, tapers so as to form a cone 11 yards long, which 
is joined by a small neck to the end, the extremity of which is flat and 
spread out considerably: this end corresponds to the •• cod "of a beam- 



400 BULLETIN OF THE UNIPED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

trawl. To the end of each winy is attached a towing span, a double 
rope, distended in the middle with a wooden spreader or cross-bar, one 
bight of which is secured to the extremity of the wing and the other 
bight having an eye for the towing rope to bend into. These nets are 
used in different depths, sometimes in as much as 100 fathoms. The 
towing warps are about 300 fathoms long. When the boats arc tow- 
ing the. •' parella " they keep at a distance of 400 to 500 fathoms from 
each other, so that the arms of the apparatus will be well extended 
that they may sweep a wide area of sea bottom. 

The following are the dimensions of the " parella " as given by ( Jap- 
tain Commenna: Total length, about 30 fathoms; length of arms, each. 
7 fathoms; width of arms, about 3| fathoms, or 130 meshes; size of mesh 
in arms, 2 inches; size of mesh in body of net, 1 inch and : j ! of an inch. 
The lead sinkers weigh about 1 pound each, and are placed IS inches 
apart on the ground rope. 

The " parella" is used from October 20 to Easter .Monday, during 
which season the various species of lish that occur near the bottom in 
the Mediterranean are captured. 

Captain Commenna is authority for saying that the " boil net " is 
used by steamers on the north coast of Spain, two Steamers towing the 
net. Trawling in this manner is, however, carried on only to a limited 
extent in the north of Spain, but very largely in sail boats in the Medi- 
terranean. 

III.— ATTEMPTS /<> USE THE BEAM-TRAWL IN lilt: FISHERIES OF THE 

UXITED STA TES. 

Several attempts nave been made to use beam-trawls in the lish- 
erics of the I nitcd States, as detailed in the following statements, and 
it is quite possible that similar trials have been made by other parties 
which I have no knowledge of. It will be noticed that the attempts 
alluded to here resulted in failure. The trial made off Cape Cod 
could scarcely be called a fair test of the apparatus, while Mr. Booth 
holds the opinion that a longer practical test in the lakes, by a. compe- 
tent expert, might lead to far different results from those which he 
obtained in his experiment. 

The following are the facts relative to the trials which have been 
made : 

Capt. Sylvester Walen, of Boston, Mass., states that about 1864 
('apt. Bichard Leonard, a native of Ireland, but then fishing from Bos- 
ton, had the schooner Sylph built on purpose for trying the experiment 
of fishing with a beam trawl .iff the New England coast. Captain 
Leonard visited Ireland and brought Lack with him sufficient apparatus 
for making the experiment. The trawl was tried off Cape Cod, but with 
no success : therefore that method of fishing had to be abandoned. 

-The captain and crew of the Sylph, n says Captain Walen, "antici- 
pating excellent results from this innovation in American fisheries, kept 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES 11-11 COMMISSION. -1<)1 

their proposed experiments a profound secret, hoping uol only toprofil 
by being first in the field in this new enterprise, but also fearing the 
antagonism of other fishermen not .similarly provided." 

Mr. J. II. McManus, of Boston, who was part owner of the Sylph at the 
time the experiment above referred to was tried, says she carried a beam- 
trawl of the largest size, having a 50-foot beam, that it was set five times 
oft' Cape Cod in 10 to 20 fathoms of water, but uo fish of any conse 
quence, except flounders, was taken in it. The crew of the Sylph, being- 
all poor men, according to Mr. McManus, could not afford to continue 
the trials. Therefore the attempt to use tins form of apparatus was 
given up, and the three trawls which had been brought over from Ire- 
land were sold to parties in Virginia to use for some unknown purpose 
in Chesapeake Bay. 

Mr. McManus thinks that possibly one cause of this failure to intro- 
duce the beam-trawl was due to the foot-line not being heavy enough 
for that purpose, but he is, nevertheless, of the opinion that it can not 
be used to good advantage north of Cape Cod. 

Mr. A. Booth, of Chicago, well known throughout the United States as 
an extensive packer of fish and oysters, told me while at London. July, 
1883, that he imported a beam-trawl from Euglaud asearlj as 1ST:;. He 
tried to use it for the capture of whitefish (Coregonus) on Lake Michi- 
gan; but although a few were taken, the attempt was a failure, since 
the trawl could not be successfully used there, because n became fre- 
quently entangled with the sunken logs that were more or less numer- 
ous on the bottom of the lake. He also stated that he had no one ex- 
perienced in this particular fishery to handle his trawl, and therefore 
he is not fully satisfied that it is impracticable to use this form of appa- 
ratus in some of the lake fisheries. 

In the scientific investigations made by the V. S. Fish Commission 
off the Atlantic coast, from Cape Hatteras to Halifax. Nova Scotia, the 
beam-trawl has been extensively used, and among the various new 
species offish that have been captured in it may be mentioned the pole 
flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus), which was first taken on the New 
England coast in 1877. This species, which for food purposes is pro- 
nounced quite equal to the European sole, has a very small mouth, and 
can therefore be taken in large numbers onlj in a beam-trawl. It occurs 
in greater or less abundance off the New England coast, and north- 
wardly to the Grand Bank. 

Lieutenant-Commander Z. L. Tanner, who has for several years been 
in command of the Fish Commission's steamers, has used the beam-trawl 
very extensively for scientific purposes in the waters of Massachusetts 
Bay and off Cape Cod. as well as elsewhere along the coast. He says 
that there are large areas on the eastern slope of Stellwagen Bank and 
east of Cape Cod, outside of a depth of 45 fathoms, where a beam-trawl 
could be employed to advantage, the bottom being a mixture of sand 
Bull. U. S. F. C, 87 iv, 



402 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

and mud. These Idealities are noted tor an abundance of flatfish, among 
which the pole flounder occurs in large numbers. lie believes it would 
be entirely practicable to carry on beam-trawling in those waters, but 
thinks it would lie necessary to have a steam capstan to get the gear up. 

The peculiar form of trawl-net which is used in the Mediterranean 
is successfully worked in the waters off the west coast of the United 
States. 

Prof. David S. -Ionian, who investigated the Pacific coast fisheries in 
1879-'80, writing of the Italian fishermen of San Francisco, Cal., says 
that in 1878 the " paranzella " was introduced in the fisheries of that 
port. The fishermen of other nationalities threatened to burn up these 
nets, and the boats used when the nets were employed. San Fran- 
cisco is the only place in this couutry where this style of fishing has 
been introduced. There were two antagonistic companies who used 
these lie's; they have now consolidated and divide the profits equally. 
Eacb company Las three boats and employs twelve or thirteen men, 
one of whom is constantly engaged in selling tish in the market. The 
stock is owned chiefly by men not actually engaged in fishing. This 
is divided irregularly, one man owning a net, another a boat, etc. Out 
of the gross profits are paid, first, the entire expenses, including pro 
visions of the men, wear of the boats and nets, etc. The remainder is 
divided into shares, one share to each boat, one to each actual fisher- 
man, and one-half share to each net actually in use. In these two 
companies, there being si\ boats, two nets, and twenty-five men, the 
whole is divided into thirty-two shares. The captain sometimes re- 
ceived one and one fourth shares. 

IV POSSIBILITIES OF SUCCESSFULLY USING VBE BEAM-TRAWL IX 
THE SEA FISHERIES "I THE UNITED STATES. 

So far as the ocean fisheries of the United States are concerned, more 
especially on the Atlantic coast, there is little probability that the beam- 
trawl will be employed for some time to come, chiefly for the following 
reasons : First, manj parts of the fishing grounds, now most commonly 
frequented, are nol suitable lor beam-trawling, being too rough, and 
in many localities the water is too deep; 1 second, our most valuable 
ground tish — cod, haddock, halibut, etc. — occur in such abundance that 

far greater catches can generally 1 btained with lines or gill nets 

than it would be possible to get in a beam-trawl, and as bait can usually 
be obtained at a moderate outlay, the lack of this is not an inducement, 
as it is in Europe, to adopt beam trawling ; third, the flatfishes — 
several species of flounders, dabs, etc—that occur off the east coast of 

'Though it is true that large tracts of the best fishing grounds art- too rough for 
beam-trawling, it nevertheless is a fact that there an- extensive anas where trawls 
can be used, and should this form of apparatus ever be introduced into the fisheries of 
the United States, no doubt it will be found that grounds now little frequented 
may prove unexpected store-houses of wealth, so tar as lisb life is concerned, 



BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 103 

the (Tinted States, and for the capture of which the beam- trawl is more 
specially adapted, are now of comparatively little value in our markets, 
and half a: ton of them would scarcely bring as much as is obtained in 
London for a hundred pounds of soles. 

The following statement of the arrivals of Ashing vessels a( Boston, 
Mass., in a single day, and the quantity of fresh haddock or cod on 
board of each, shows what enormous captures of these flsb tire some- 
times made with trawl-lines. When it is understood that these laics 
of fish are often taken in a single day, and thai a vessel seldom fishes 
longer than two or three days consecutively, it will be apparent enough 
that like results can not be obtained by using beam-trawls: "Schooner 
Mabel Kennison, Georges, Hi, 000 pounds haddock. Schooner Emily I'. 
Wright, Georges, 40,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Gertie E. Winsor, 
La Have, 30,000 pounds haddock and cod. Schooner Col. French, 

Georges, 45,000 po Is haddock. Schooner Hottie I. Phillips; Georges, 

75,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Carrie and Annie, Georges, 00,000 
pounds haddock. Schooner Rebecca liartlett, Georges, 45,000 pounds 
haddock. Schooner Henry W. Longfellow, Georges, 00,000 pounds 
haddock. Schooner Eben Parsons, Georges, 00,000 pounds haddock. 
Schooner Dido, Georges, to.ooo pounds haddock. Schooner Mascott, 
Georges, 50,000 pounds haddock. Schooner A. A'. Crittenden, Georges, 
35,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Mystic, Georges, 30,000 pounds had- 
dock. Schooner Cha rles /'. Boynton, Georges, 40,000 pounds. Schooner 
Loring /•'. Haskell, Georges, G0,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Pen- 
dragon, Georges, 30,000 pounds haddock. Schooner lolunthe, Georges, 
30,000 pounds haddock. Schooner ./. IP. Campbell, Georges, 15,000 
pounds haddock. Schooner J. A. Garland, Georges, 00,000 pounds 

haddock. Schooner Clytie, ( reorges, 45,000 pounds haddock. Scl ner 

Rebecca Bartlett, Georges, 50,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Edward 
Trevoy, Georges, 60,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Matthew Kami/, 
Georges, 50,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Tidal Ware, < reorges, 50,000 
pounds cod. Schooner />. /'. Winchester, Georges, 00,000 pounds 
haddock. Schooner Andrew Grimes, Georges, 30,000 pounds had- 
dock. Schooner Fannie W. Freeman, Georges, 00,000 pounds haddock. 
Schooner Annie />., Georges, 50,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Surah 
C. Wharf, Ipswich Bay, 35,000 pounds cod. Schooner G rarer Cleveland, 
Georges, 25,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Rapid Transit, Georges, 
50,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Mary A. Clarl; Georges, 50,000 
pounds haddock. Schooner U'. Parncll (fllara, Georges, 10,000 pounds 
haddock. Schooner furrier Pore, Geoi'ges, 45,000 pounds haddock. 
Schooner Xiir England, Georges, 45,000 pounds haddock. Schooner 
Ethel Maud, Georges, 15,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Ellen Swift, 
Georges, 45,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Addie Winthrop, Georges, 
40,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Chester R. Lawrence, < reorges, 50,000 
pounds haddock. Schooner Reporter, Georges, 75,000 pounds haddock. 
Schooner Phil. Sheridan, Georges, 00,000 pounds haddock. Schooner 



404 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 

Gertie Evelyn, Georges, 4S,000 pounds haddock. Schooner Edith Em- 
ery, Georges, G0,000 pounds haddock.'" 

It is therefore evident that, with such conditions prevailing, the 
beam-trawl can not be profitably employed oft' the- Atlantic coast, even 
supposing extraordinary catches could be taken in it. However, should 
the demand tor flat-fish increase in the future, which is extremely prob 
able, it will doubtless be found that beam-trawling can be prosecuted 
«ill our eastern shores with profit and success, while, in acountry having 
such a vasl extent of sea-coast as the United States has, and such 
varied fisheries, it is impossible to say what may not be done with an 
apparatus which is so effective as is the beam-trawl for the capture 
of ground tish. The fact that the "paranzella" has been profitably em- 
ployed on the Pacific coasl is a matter of interest in this connection, 
and indicates that there may be, in that region, an opportunity to use 
the beam trawl, which is a much more effecl r. e form of apparatus. 

1 Boston Dailj Herald, FebTiiarj 1'-. l --!'■. The names " Georges " and " La Have" 
refer to ( leorges Bank and La Have Bank, where the lish were caught. 



INDEX 



Pa pe. 

Allen & Co , D 294 

Alward a Eskiitt y.:t-, 

Aiisfll, Alfred W\, quoted 293,290,298,300 

Apparatus of Belgian trawlers. 391 

Dutch trawlers 393 

French trawlers 389 

I term an trawlers 399 

Apprentice system ... 304 

A shcroft, R. L., quoted, 343 

Ashore or A float cited 298 

Baird, Spencer F ... ;;'.; 

Baitings of trawl-net :; 7 

Balch-Hue of trawl-net 319 

Barking beam-trawl fishery 292 

Beam, description of 311 

Beam-tran I, description of 310 

experiments with in the United 

States 400, 401 

fisheries of Belgium 390 

Europe 388 

France 

< ici many 39S 

Great Britain 291 

Holland 393 

Spain 399 

the United States 400 

fishery, growth of 295 

pei sons employ ed in. . 290 

statisticsof 296 

value of 296 

fishing, effect of 369, 370 

on tbe Atlantic mast. 402 

in.-! hods of handling 345 

used by the U.S.] C 401 

Beam -t raw ler, crew of ... 

Beam-trawls introduced 292, 394 

Belgian beam-trawl fisher; 390 

Belly of trawl-net 322 

Billing-gate, fish landed at 

Birm ogham as a fish market 36G 

Bland, John 338 

Boarding fish 357 

Bomschuiten described 394 

Booth, A 401 

Boston as a fish market 

Daily Herald cited 404 

Bou net described 399 

British deep-sea trawlers, number of 296 

Fish Trade cited 362 

Brisham beam-trawl fishery 292 

fish sale 

Caller -0 u steamer, trial trip of 346 

Capstan, description of 325 



Page, 

Carr, T F Robi i Nun assistance by. 291 

quoted 294, 170 

1 lattran, Edward, cited a»fl 

Cod-end 

hoisting of 344 

Cod-line 

Cod of trawl-net . . l - 

' 'ommerma, Captain, cited. 

Cook, duties of 301 

Crew, pay of 307 

Cromor Knowl, description of 293 

« 'inse on a British North-Sea trawler 

Dandy , , 326 

bridle chock 

wink 3J7 

Day, Dr. Francis quoted 298 

De i '.nix J, \Y . trawl improvements 314, 324 

Deck hand, duties of .',02 

D.'.-p sea Fishing and Fishing Boats cited . 293, 
310,312, 319,320, 140, :89 90 

Diddlenet 333 

Doddle net I 

Dogger Bank, d< script iou of 297 

Duchochois, A 291 

Duff, R. W., cited 360 

Dummy, description of 327, 328 

Dunell ' reorge l; . quoted 

Edinburgh, Duke of, quoted ?96 153,356, :67,36a 

Engine for capstan 126 

English trawling ports, list ol 294 

Fish auction 

boai ding of I 

boxes 

of .... 351 

carriage 

carriers 351 

classification of 354 

catch of 385 

depletion ul' II 

dest ruction of , 169 

dressing of . . 355 

in market, size of 372 

kinds taken 299 

landing of. 35'J 

marketing of 359 

packing of. 354, 355 359 

price of 360.371 

quantity taken 403 

selling of ... 300 

tackle 329 

taken by trawl 340 44,380 

with trawl-lines . ... 403 

Trades Gazette cited 

405 



406 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION'. 



Page. 

Fish, transfer <>f 358 

Fisheries of the World cited 360 

Fisherman's Magazine cited 292 

Seamanship cited 299, 

302, 303, 323, 334, 340 

Fishermen 300 

courtesy of 387 

intelligence of 387 

Fishermen's hardships 384 

Fishery Board for Scotland, report cited . .. 294 

Fishing apparatus. 310 

grounds 296 

list of 297,372 

..f Belgian trawlers 390 

Dutch trawlers 394 

French trawlers .. - 

German trawlers ... 398 

methods of 332 

Belgian trawlers 393 

Dutch trawlers 397 

i i ' qi ii I 1 awlers 390 

German trawlers 399 

Flapper of trawl-net :; ! : 

Fleeting system, advantages of, 

establishment of 350 

Foot of trawl-net 319 

rope, de Caux's. 31 it 

of trawl-net 319 

Frank Buck land, trawling vessel 326 

French beam-trawl fishery 388 

German beam-trawl fishery 398 

Goode, <1. Brown 373 

Gorings of tram 1 net 318 

Granton, steamer 306 

Great Fisher Hank, description of 298 

Silver-Pits, description of 298 

Grimsby as a fish market - '■ ,: ' 

fishing port 29 



t r .i *\ lei s 8j stem of fishing. 

i Sroen, W ,, trawl-head of 

Ground of trav 1 not 

rope of i rawl-net 



352 
396 

■ 
320 



Hawse description of >. 336 

Head rope of Haul net 319 

Heaving up the (raw! 342 

Hellyer, Charles, quoted — 368 

Hewett &Oo 350 

History 291 

Holdsworth, Edmnnd W. n .. quoted 293, 

294 10 C 09 1 1 ; ■ 
332, 333. 334,341,377,389 397 

Holland, beam trawl fishery of 193 

Hull 

as a fish market Si 

lee mill, description of 330 

used by Hsh packers 376 

Introductory note.. 290 

Jes, Edward, assistance by 291 

cited 295,369,371 

Jordan, David S., cited 402 

1-e Lorraiu, Jules, assistance by 291 

i ited 300 

Leonard. Richard 400 

Liverpool as a fish market 360 

Loading tish \ ana 377 



Tap-. 

London as a fish market 366 

Lowestoft. 295 

Maas, A.E 397 

McManus, J. H 401 

Manchester as a fish market 366 

Marketing the catch 359 

Master, duties of 303 

Mate, duties of 302 

Mudd, Harrison, assistance by 201,374 

quoted 295, 352 

Nettle 335 

Olseu, O. T., assistance by 291 

quoted 208,299,302,323 334,335 

Orange, Prince of 202 

< ttter trawl 316 

Pad measure 329, 302 

Parella described 399 

dimensions of I " 

Plimsoll, Samuel, quoted 340, 300 

Pockets of trawl-net :; i* 

Poke-line of trawl net - 318 

Pot measure 329,330 

Profits, method of dividing 367 

Rockwell, Julius E 373 

Sailing travt lei 306 

Sala, Mr., quoted 361 

Scotsman cited 294, 346, 370 

Scottish trawling ports, lisl of 294 

Sea Fishing on the Southwest Coast cited.. 302 

Seamen, duties of 301 

Shares, method of dividing 367,368 H 

Shepherd, H <\ W 315 

Shields tisli market 303 

Signal code for fleet fishing 349 

Sims. Mr., quoted 316,341,367 

SingUvboating system 348,393,39 

ad\ antages of 354 

Sizes of meshes in traw 1 nets 

Sobriety, cutter 313 

Spanish beam trawl fishery 399 

Square of trawl-net - ■ • 

Staying the trawl around 339 

s tea iii capstans 325 

trawlers, earnings of 368 

Sylph, schooner 400 

Tacking with the trawl out 338 

Tanner, /. L 401 

Tidal influence on trawling 332 

Tidder,Capt Henry 378 

Trawl, apparatus for operating. 324 

capsizing of 384 

dimensions of 322 

fishery, earliest notice of 291 

vessels employed in 371 

hauling the 386 

improvements, de Caus's. 324 

manner of heaving up 342, 380 

righting of 335 

Bhooting of 334,335,379,381 

around the stern 337 

from the port side 333 

from stai board side 337 

stayed around 339 

weai ing around 338, 385 

working of 340 



BULLKTIN OF THE UNITKD STATES FISH COMMISSION. 407 



Page 

Trawl-bridles, description of 3'Jl 

Trawl-head, Barking pat inn 313,392 

Belgian 391,392 

de (Janx's 314 

description of 312 

dimensions of 315 

Dutch 39H 

for inshore 314 

i rroen's 395 

used inshore 392 

weight of !13 

with Shepherd's device 315 

Trawl net, description of 316,317,318 

directions Tor putting together. . 323 

rally history «'t' 293 

size of meshes in 320 

Trawl-rope stopper :: 't"> 

Trawl- warp, description of. 321 

roller ;;27,32* 

Trawler cruise, diary of 378 

on 

Trawler's boat :; ; i 

Trawling in " the rough" 383 

methods of 348 

steamers 300 

vessels, cost *>t 310 

description of . . . 309 

dimensions of 306, 307 



Page 

Trawling vessels, earnings of 867 

modi-] of 308 

rig ol 307, ::n:i 

Trunk measui «' 

Vessel caught with a weathei tide. 340 

diopped ar.iiunl w ill] 1i :i\\ 1 mil ; ' 

management of, with i raw 1 on i 338 

prevented from catching around 340 

Vessels, earnings of ::<>7 

of Belgian trawlers 390 

Dutch trawlers 394 

French trawlers 3S9 

German trawlers 398 

types of 305 

Visiting a trawler :<S7 

Walen, Sylvester 400 

Walker, David, < ited 294 

Walpole, Spencer, assi -tan..' by 37^ 

quoted 362, 36G 

Wearing the trawl around 338 

Wilcocks, .T. C , quoted 311,362 

Willie and Ada, smack 30G,313,342 174 

Winch, description of 326 

forward 327 

Wings of trawl net 31 

Yarmouth trawling veaselg ;;ii!) 

Zodiac, steamei 




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